More Than Anyone Else
by MystiKoorime
Summary: Hiei and Botan discover they were exactly what the other needed all along. Here's my take on how Hiei and Botan's relationship could have progressed during the Dark Tournament.
1. Chapter 1

More Than Anyone Else

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 1

* * *

"Please, don't stare so much. We must try and blend in!" Botan urged as she led Shizuru and Keiko towards the stadium. After the two girls had pressured Botan to reveal everything about Yusuke and Kuwabara's dealings with Spirit World, they insisted on following the boys to the Dark Tournament. Botan had warned them that it would be highly dangerous, but the girls were determined.

"Unless we can magically grow horns, fangs, and claws, or force our skin to turn abnormal colors, trying to blend in with this crowd would be pointless," Shizuru stated, after taking a drag from her cigarette.

"I guess you're right…" Botan said with a sigh.

"Even though I'm here, I'm still finding it hard to believe that all of this could exist and that Yusuke could be wrapped up in all of this," Keiko revealed suddenly, reminding herself not to stare at the demons passing by. "I just wish he would've told me, instead of keeping me in the dark."

Botan put a hand on her shoulder.

"Please don't feel bad, Keiko. Yusuke didn't tell you anything because he was trying to protect you the only way he could." She glanced over in Shizuru's direction and smiled. "The same goes for you, Shizuru."

Shizuru nodded with a smirk.

"I know Kazuma means well, but that still doesn't mean I can't pummel him for keeping this big of a secret from me."

"Yeah, I'm going to give Yusuke a piece of my mind too," Keiko agreed, a slightly malevolent grin making its way onto her face.

Botan laughed nervously and turned away from the duo hesitantly, intent on reaching the stadium. While it was true that they had to be tough to keep Yusuke and Kuwabara in line, she didn't expect for them to be so scary! She just hoped she would never be on the receiving end of their anger and decided to stay on their good side. Soon enough, they reached the entrance of the stadium and gathered at the back of the crowd that had formed there.

"Listen well, because I'll only say this once," a burly demon said sternly to the crowd, his eyes hard and stance firm. "No tickets, no entrance, no exceptions."

The demons in the crowd began to groan while others attempted to persuade the guard into letting them in. Suddenly, Botan added to the general sound of discontentment as she began muttering to herself, leaving the two girls beside her highly skeptical.

"Is something the matter?" Shizuru drawled.

"I had the sneaking suspicion that I was forgetting something important…"

Botan dug through the folds in her kimono in search of tickets she knew wouldn't be there.

"Please tell me you didn't do what I think you did!" Keiko admonished, her frown deepening upon noticing Botan's guilty pout. "I didn't come this far only to be set-back because of some lousy tickets!" Keiko groaned.

"Never fear, Keiko! I'm sure Koenma will sort this whole mess out!" Botan reassured with a smile.

"Koenma?" Shizuru echoed.

"Yes, the ruler of Spirit World! He should be around here somewhere…"

She began looking around the area for him and realized, in his toddler form, she wouldn't be able to see him through the crowd of taller demons.

She walked off keeping her eyes on the grass below, intent on finding a brown-haired toddler with a large blue hat on and a blue pacifier between his lips. Instead, she was shocked to see a young demon child with black hair and red eyes. He had a tough expression on his face and didn't seem to be in the least disturbed by the fact that he was the youngest one here.

Botan couldn't help but notice he had the same type of characteristics as Hiei; granted their faces weren't identical, they did share the same traits: black hair, red eyes, and a serious expression to match. The boy's hair was more similar to Yusuke's, when it wasn't globed down in all of its gelled glory, his eyes were more innocent than Hiei's, and his expression seemed somewhat forced, as though he were trying to convince everyone that he was tough. Botan suddenly found herself wondering why a child would even be allowed witness such an aggressive event.

"Is there a reason why you're staring at me like that, lady? Try and kidnap me and I swear I won't hold back just because you're a girl!"

Botan realized that she was, in fact, staring at him and giggled at his response. She placed her hands on her knees and bent down a bit, in order to converse more easily with him.

"Did you come to watch the tournament as well?"

Crossing his arms and forcing a glare onto his face he replied, "Yeah, and what's it to you?"

"Oh nothing, I was just trying to make conversation. But, you know, to enter the stadium you must have a ticket!"

He waved his hand in the air cockily, revealing a single ticket grasped firmly in his grip.

Botan stared at him in amazement. Even he remembered to bring his ticket, yet she could not.

"How did you manage to get that? From what I hear these tournaments are very popular events."

"Well…" the boy began, obviously happy that she was pleased. "I have my ways."

"I see," Botan relented with a knowing smile. "Well, I don't mean to nag, but these things can get very dangerous. You should run along and get seated with your parents."

"I came here alone."

There was a high probability that he might not have parents and came here on his own, she should have known that, and yet she chose to believe otherwise.

"Oh, I'm sorry… I didn't-"

"My mother didn't want me coming, I came anyway," he cut in.

Suddenly Botan felt very relieved, that is, until she realized he had disobeyed his mother and was now all alone on the island.

"That was very reckless of you!" she admonished.

"What I do is my own business, lady!" he retorted, crossing his arms and suddenly becoming defensive again.

Botan's frown lightened and she couldn't help but smile at his bravado.

"I never told you my name, did I?"

He shook his head.

"It's not like I'm curious or anything, in fact I don't even care!"

"Well, I'm Botan!" She extended her hand. "What's your name?"

He looked at her hand for a while, contemplating whether or not he should accept it, and then shook it anyway.

"Hiro."

"It's settled then," Botan said, suddenly straightening up, as Hiro looked at her with a confused expression. "We're officially friends from this point forward, so if there is anything you need at all, come and find me!"

"Hey!" he protested, clenching his fists at his side. "I'm not a child, I don't need you to hold my hand and-"

"-That's not it at all. If you want to talk or you just don't feel like being alone, you can come to me. I bet someone as strong as you can sense my energy no matter how far away I am!"

Suddenly he smirked.

"Of course, I can."

"Alright, now you've always got a way to find me. I'll be very mad if you don't pay me a visit, sometime, okay?"

He just nodded in return.

By the time Keiko and Shizuru finally decided to see where Botan had wandered off too, they were greeted with the sight of her talking to a young child and waving at him as he walked away.

"I sure hope that kid had tickets for us…" Shizuru muttered and Botan frowned.

"Don't worry, I'll get us in there, somehow!" she promised.

Her eyes scanned the area for any familiar face when she caught sight of black hair and red eyes. For a moment she thought it was Hiro again, but then she realized this person was too tall to be him.

"Hiei!"

He turned his head towards their general direction and Botan's smile brightened. He was a powerful demon and a competitor in the tournament, surely he would have enough pull to get them inside. She waved excitedly, hoping to catch his attention and she was sure that he was the answer she had been looking for, but after staring indifferently for less than a few seconds, he turned back around and proceeded to go his way. Botan faltered, her smile deflating instantly as she watched him slip in through the entrance.

If he had been anyone else she would have given him a piece of her mind, but the person she was dealing with was Hiei: the most callous and apathetic member on their team. Prior to this tournament they never had the chance to build the same relationship Botan had acquired with Yusuke and Kuwabara, but she had hoped that this would be the perfect opportunity to get closer to both Hiei and Kurama. She was the spirit detective's assistant, after all, and the former thieves were a great asset to the team. It was imperative to build good relations with them, seeing as there was a high probability that they would be working together in the near future. That is, if they all were lucky enough to live through this tournament.

"Someone you know?" Shizuru asked bemusedly, taking note of the deflated look on the girl's face.

"Oh, why couldn't I have bumped into one of the more social members of our team?" Botan whined. "Today is just not my day, everyone is so mean!" she pouted.

"Come on Shizuru, let's go," Keiko urged as she shook her head at Botan. "If she can't find a way in, then we'll have to find a way for ourselves."

Botan admired Keiko's determination, but at the same time she knew there would be no way to sneak in without those tickets. She surveyed the surrounding area and suddenly caught sight of someone. She let out a gasp and the two human girls looked over at her.

"Koenma, sir, is that really you…" she trailed off watching the man before her in fascination. He wasn't in his normal toddler form; in fact, he looked like a regular teenager. Either he had grown up in the past few days or he was using this get-up to avoid any teasing from others. She knew all too well how much Koenma hated when people made fun of his stature.

"Hello ladies," the prince began suavely and Botan just rolled her eyes as at his new persona. Not only had his height increased but his charisma and charm spiked as well. He quickly dismissed a lesser demon who had offered them discounted tickets, and led them inside the stadium, all the while continuing to play the part of a calm and collected ruler.

* * *

Hiei was in the forest practicing his darkness technique and by the time he reached back to the hotel and took a small nap, the tournament was already beginning. He briefly remembered Kuwabara waking him up, along with Kurama shortly after, but he chose to ignore them and continue resting. Just training with the technique drained him of all his energy and he was pushing himself all night, trying to get a better handle of the dragon.

It was Kurama's urging through telepathy that eventually woke him up. He informed him that the first round would be starting soon and it would be wise to come to the meeting room to discuss their upcoming battles. Hiei quickly got himself ready, pleased to know that all his energy had returned after a few hours of rest. It was a small price to pay for the power he gained.

When he made his way over to the arena he distinctly heard someone call his name and when he looked over in that direction, all he found were two human girls and another woman who seemed to be trying to gain his attention. He couldn't quite tell what the blue-haired one was, seeing as her spirit energy was different from the others, but for some reason she and the shorter human girl looked remotely familiar to him. Without answering, he turned back around, and entered the stadium. He never made it a habit of remembering unimportant people anyway, so if he couldn't remember her, she obviously didn't matter at all.

As he arrived at the small room within the stadium, he found Yusuke sleeping with his back leaned up against the wall, Kuwabara standing next to the detective, watching him in amazement, Kurama a little farther off into the room, and the masked fighter sitting down on a chair.

"'Bout time, Hiei!" Kuwabara exclaimed as Hiei walked inside. "I thought you were gonna bail out on us!"

"Is the detective planning on joining us anytime soon?" he asked, ignoring Kuwabara's comments as he turned towards Yusuke's sleeping form.

"His training was very intense, from what I gathered, he needs all the time he can get to regain his strength," the masked fighter said quietly.

"It doesn't matter," Hiei concluded. "We won't need him to win this round, I assure you that much."

"Cocky little thing, isn't he?" Kuwabara muttered from the corner and Kurama just chuckled.

"Albeit cocky, there is some truth to his statement," Kurama agreed. "I'm sure we can make do without Yusuke for a while."

Kuwabara brightened and nodded vigorously.

"I'll be the team-captain in Urameshi's place! That means I'll fight first, to pave the way for you guys."

"Yes, show us the proper way to get our asses kicked," Hiei interjected with a smirk and Kuwabara crossed his arms angrily.

"It wouldn't kill you to have some faith in your teammates you know," the orange-haired boy countered.

Hiei snorted at what he believed to be pathetic drabble.

"Such sentiments are for the weak. Your own strength is the only thing you can rely on in this tournament. Leave your fate to the hands of others and you will surely get what you deserve."

"We'll see," Kuwabara said with a determined look.

A few minutes later, Hiei was proven right. Kuwabara was seated on the grass, too weak to even stand at this point, and all because he couldn't control a child and his playthings. It would be a lie if Hiei said he wasn't entirely pleased that Kuwabara had gotten his ass kicked, but they were engaged in a tournament where everyone wanted them dead; it would have been beneficial to them if he had won this match.

Truth be told, if Hiei had a choice in the matter he would be anywhere but here, but the day his plans were obstructed by the haphazard spirit detective, everything changed. From then on he had become Spirit World's lapdog. He was thrown into prison, dragged into the fight against the beasts of Maze Castle, kept in the dark about the location of his own sister, and then forced to participate in this tournament.

Provided he made it out alive, he would finally cut all ties with both the human and spirit world. If the toddler followed through with their agreement, which Hiei fully intended to force him into doing if he tried otherwise, he would no longer need to serve a prolonged sentence in Spirit World prison and be absolved of his crimes. That fleeting chance for freedom was the sole reason why he was currently standing in a stadium surrounded by the sounds of crude remarks from the mouths of even cruder demons. If anything, this tournament would give him a good chance to hone his skills and perfect the darkness technique. There were more than enough low-class fools that he could experiment on until he got it right.

The only thing that disturbed him was the surprising strength of the Toguro team. He had known they were strong, but witnessing their strength first-hand was an entirely different thing. They were on a completely different level of skill than any of the other combatants and Hiei was sure that this tournament would not be as easy as he had previously thought.

To make matters worse, they were already losing and it was only the first round. It had been a few seconds since Kurama stepped into the ring and Hiei watched through bored eyes, fully well knowing that Kurama would come out victorious. It was too bad that the oaf was not capable of holding his own against a child.

"We will deal with the rest of their team, you relax," Hiei ordered as he looked down at Kuwabara.

"Hey! I'm not out of this yet. If Yusuke doesn't wake up, I'll take the last guy!" Kuwabara insisted.

"We'll pray that doesn't happen," Hiei retorted dismally. Light footsteps coming towards them diverted both boys' attention and Hiei turned his head only to find a blue-haired woman running towards them. He recognized her, noting that she was the girl from before, but something was telling him he had met her long before coming to this island.

"Alright boys I'm here, now let's whip this team into shape!"

Her voice was so bubbly it made him want to cringe.

"Hey how'd you get here?" Kuwabara asked.

"Well, I—" she began, but was cut off by Hiei.

"Leave, before you hurt yourself," Hiei ordered condescendingly as he turned back towards the ring. He could care less about how she got here, what her intentions were, or who she was; all he wanted was for her to be gone.

"Well that's a jolly thing to say to someone to whose going to help you win, don't you think?" she countered, her eyes narrowed and lips twisted into a frown. "Especially after you downright snubbed me earlier!"

"Help us win?" Hiei echoed as he raised a brow, choosing to ignore her last comment. As far as he was concerned, the only thing she would end up doing was get in the way. He looked her over once and concluded her body was definitely not made for fighting.

"Ah! You mean you're the replacement fighter for Urameshi?" Kuwabara said as he pointed to her.

Hiei snorted at Kuwabara's incessant stupidity while she just giggled.

"No, silly! Tada!"

Hiei watched as she flung off her kimono and was slightly disappointed to find that she was fully clothed underneath.

"In addition to Detective's Assistant and Pilot of the River Styx, I'm also a licensed trainer! I'll be looking after you all and making sure you stay in tip-top shape!" she informed cheerily.

Now he remembered her vaguely. She was the one who he communicated with telepathically when he kidnapped the detective's girl. She was the idiot that tried to thwart the effects of the demonic sword with her white magic. She was the loudmouth that accompanied the detective and the fool on their quest to save Yukina from that bastard crime lord, Tarukane. A useless woman working with an equally useless spirit detective, for an even more useless establishment: Spirit World.

He found it strange that he even remembered her, but he would be a fool not to, seeing as she was just about everywhere he turned. She worked for Spirit World, the one and only institution that had him imprisoned, tied down to the human world, and locked in this competition. It gave him even more reason to dislike her, and that bubbly attitude wasn't helping much.

"Speaking of tip-top shape…" she muttered, her words breaking Hiei out of his thoughts. His eyes followed her as she walked over to Yusuke, grabbed him by his collar, and slapped him repeatedly. "Spirit World to Yusuke: wake up! Come on now!"

As much as Hiei enjoyed seeing Yusuke get bitch-slapped by the loud-mouthed woman, it was getting distracting. She didn't seem to realize that no matter what she did, he simply wouldn't wake up. So, in addition to working for Spirit World, she was also dense. Hiei wasn't surprised though, after all, he wouldn't expect anything less from a ferry-girl employed by Koenma.

"None of that will work, the boy is determined," Hiei told her and she relented in her efforts, looking up at him from her crouched position. She sighed and then proceeded to look back at the sleeping spirit-detective.

"Well, at least let me get him out of the way…" Botan muttered, dragging his body off to the side. She then sat down next to him and watched the ensuing match from her position near the stands.

* * *

At the start of the match Kurama seemed to have the upper-hand against Roto, but all of a sudden he became despondent. It was almost like he was allowing the opponent to beat the living daylights out of him.

"Come on, Kurama!" Botan cheered quietly as she watched him intently. It didn't make any sense. She knew he was strong, so why was he just standing there?

Without warning, Roto's movements slowed down and he relented in his assault on Kurama. He stiffened and suddenly became immobile. Botan watched on as Kurama walked away and flowers sprouted from his opponent's body. The match was over and they had the victory. She jumped up from her seated position and ran over to Kuwabara and Hiei.

"Now we're tied!" she exclaimed happily.

"Yes, although we would have been in the lead if Kuwabara had the wits and strength to outmaneuver a child and his toys," Hiei rebuked as he glanced over at the orange-haired boy haughtily.

"Hey!" Kuwabara shouted with clenched fists, but Botan cut him off as she stepped in the space between the two quarrelsome teammates.

"Now, now, boys. Let's not fight!" she mediated with a sheepish grin as she briefly wondered how they would fare with the rest of the tournament if they couldn't keep the peace within their own team. "Let's focus on more important things," she offered, looking around for any signs of a distraction before continuing, "like the condition of our dear teammate, Kurama!"

They all turned to see Kurama rejoin them, a little cut up, but victorious nonetheless.

"What a fool, so intent on proving himself that he couldn't notice your moves. Don't worry about his demon friend, he vanished the moment Roto died," Hiei said.

"Then you knew…" Kurama replied with a smile. Roto used Kurama's mother as a hostage, forcing him take whatever beatings Roto dished out. Evidently, as most lower-class demons were, this one was incredibly oblivious and did not notice the redhead sew the death seed into his body.

Hiei simply nodded.

Botan pouted, unhappy with the secrecy and silence. She was just about to speak up, that is until she heard the unmistakable sound of Yusuke's voice.

"What a relief," Yusuke muttered in his sleep. All eyes turned to him for a brief moment, wondering how he had the ability to comment on the fight that he had so peacefully slept through, but the silence was broken by Kuwabara.

"Okay, enough of the secret plans and stuff, what just happened?" he asked angrily, tired of being kept in the dark for so long.

"Yes, do tell," Botan urged as her amethyst eyes wandered between the two eagerly. Their conversation could have been in another language, as far as Botan was concerned, because she hadn't been able to keep up with a word of it.

"It's already in the past," Hiei said flatly as he turned around.

"Agreed," Kurama finished, following suit.

"That isn't very friendly of them!" Botan exclaimed, leaning closer to Kuwabara and whispering her next question. "Do they usually keep you out of the loop like that?"

"Yeah," Kuwabara revealed with a nod. "Those demons think they're so cool."

"If you guys are through gossiping, we have a tournament to continue, you know!" Koto interrupted them, signaling the start of the new fight. They all looked to the ring only to see the team-leader, Zeru, stepping up, cockily.

"The team leader is fighting next?" Kurama questioned in disbelief.

"He's fighting angrily; it's obvious he doesn't take us seriously," Hiei said as he eyed Zeru down.

"Yes, and we're just the picture of professionalism," Botan muttered as she looked down at Yusuke's sleeping form.

Hiei smirked, his eyes never once leaving Zeru's form, and his hands twitched in anticipation.

"I'll go next, this one's been irritating me ever since last night," he volunteered as he flung his scarf off.

"Last night?" Botan questioned. "What on earth could have happened for Hiei to have already made enemies?"

"Zeru came into our room yesterday spouting a whole bunch of garbage," Kuwabara informed. "He was probably trying to intimidate us and I guess it rubbed Hiei the wrong way."

"Do you think he can win, I mean the team leader must be incredibly strong, right?" Botan whispered.

Kuwabara merely shrugged, his eyes glued to the ring.

Hiei, who apparently heard her, cast her one hard glance.

"There is no need for doubts, woman. I will win this battle and that is a fact," he said loud enough for Zeru to hear, before hopping into the ring.

Botan just gulped in response, noting that along with the ability to read people's minds, he had excellent hearing.

"It seems Hiei is eager to fight this match," Kurama mentioned and Botan and Kuwabara nodded in response.

"Begin!"

The moment Koto gave them the signal, Zeru threw a melee of fire attacks and Hiei repeatedly dodged them. Hordes of fans were engulfed in flames or crushed by debris. Botan watched on in fear, but Hiei seemed to have fun with this, that familiar smirk never once leaving his face. Not one ounce of fear in the face of danger, he was truly something.

Soon enough, the demon stopped his fire attacks and suddenly became engulfed in his own heat. At a sickeningly fast pace he sliced his hand right through Hiei's gut and Hiei's body became swallowed up in flames as well. Not satisfied, Zeru threw a fireball that connected with Hiei's already burning body. Everyone watched in horror as his stiffened form made its downward descent.

His body landed on the ground with a terrible thud and the crowd became silent. It couldn't be happening, this was unreal. The danger of this tournament suddenly became a harsh reality to all of them, they were too afraid to speak.

That is until Hiei's voice cut through the silence and Botan let out a sigh of relief. Her squared shoulders relaxed and she unclenched her fists. She briefly wondered if it was necessary put on a show and make them all worry like that, but brushed that thought aside, seeing as this match was far from over.

"So talented I'm reluctant to make the kill," Hiei mocked, his body enclosed in fire. He looked absolutely horrifying with that murderous sneer on his face. Botan now remembered why everyone was so afraid of him.

"Dragon of the Darkness Flame!" he roared.

"He's going to attempt the darkness technique…" Kurama commented warily.

"Huh? What is that supposed to mean?" Botan asked fearfully.

Before Kurama could answer a black dragon shot out from Hiei's right arm and connected point black with Zeru's body. The inferno heated up the entire stadium and everyone could feel its power emanating from Hiei's arm. Once the dragon disappeared, only an imprint of Zeru was left behind and his ashes littered the grass below.

All was silent, everyone amazed by the intensity of Hiei's attack. It was unfathomable that something that fierce and destructive could be contained by one demon. Soon enough the initial shock wore off and some demons began shouting their disdain that the human team had won again, while others were thinking of switching their loyalties.

"Hiei could beat anyone with that attack!" Kuwabara exclaimed in triumph, a smirk on his face. Suddenly, his expression turned grim and his eyes widened in fear as he realized the severity of his words. "Wait a minute what am I saying!" Panic leaked through his words as he frowned. "What if he decides to be evil again and uses it on us?"

Normally, Botan would have admonished Kuwabara for even suggesting such a crazy thing, but a small part of her was thinking the same thing. That dragon was powerful enough to obliterate them all! Hiei's voice broke her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see him in front of them, still standing in the ring.

"Don't worry you fool. We've entered into an alliance and I'm not the type to break it. Of course once this is over, I can't guarantee a thing," Hiei informed.

Botan let out a relieved sigh; it was good that Hiei was the honor-code type. He was on their side for now, and he would stay with them until this whole mess was over with. She smiled. They only had to win one more match and they would live to fight on another day. Things were looking up for them.

Botan watched as he made his way off of the ring and for a brief moment she could have sworn she saw him falter. A look of discomfort flashed across his features, but just as soon as it had appeared, it was gone, and he shoved his hand into his pocket and continued walking. She watched him critically as he took his place at Kurama's side and couldn't seem to find anything wrong with him. He took notice of her staring and sent a pointed glare her way, causing Botan to look away immediately. She would only be lying to herself if she said she that she wasn't still a little bit afraid of Hiei; he was just so intimidating!

Her eyes landed on Yusuke and she frowned. She hoped that she was just imagining things and that he was truly alright after that last fight, but if Hiei truly was injured, it wasn't a good sign. And the fact that the team leader was currently unconscious only added to her list of worries.

* * *

Yusuke had woken up just in time for the last match, in which the team's actual leader, Chu, decided to show up. After some grueling punches, Yusuke had put his hard head to use and won the match. They were victorious and Botan couldn't contain her excitement as she squealed in joy. They had won their first round, and all the boys were safe.

Keiko and Shizuru joined everyone on the field with unhappy looks on their faces.

"Hey!" Yusuke said sheepishly. "How did you two get here?"

The two brunettes turned to Botan, and the ferry-girl pulled her kitty-face.

"Botan! You brought them here?"

"Well… they deserved to know where you two were! I couldn't exactly leave them in the dark for so long!" Botan defended as she crossed her arms.

"Don't try to turn this around on her, Yusuke. I can't believe you wouldn't tell me something as important as this!" Keiko argued.

"Same goes for you baby bro," Shizuru scolded.

Kuwabara put his hands up in defense.

"It really wasn't our choice; we got dragged into this whole thing!" Kuwabara said as he began to explain the whole situation to them.

Hiei simply looked on in disgust. It was amazing how weak and pitiful humans were if they couldn't even stand up to mere women who had little to no spirit energy. Why Yusuke and Kuwabara had to even explain anything to those two nagging women were beyond him. They shouldn't have even come here; they would just prove to be unnecessary distractions and bothers.

He turned away from the scene only to watch as a demon child walked up to the ferry-girl. She had been eying the encounter between Yusuke and Keiko through amused eyes, when the child tugged on her pants. She looked down and made a surprised face.

"Hiro!" Botan exclaimed with a smile. "I didn't expect to see you down here!"

"I should be the one saying that to you," the child countered. As he was watching the fight from the stands he saw a familiar blue-haired woman roam over to the ring. He thought it couldn't possibly be the same woman he just met, but clearly he was wrong. "I thought only fighters were allowed to be near the ring during matches."

Botan smiled brightly.

"Well somebody has to keep these boys in shape, and I'm just the girl to do it!"

"So… you're helping this team?"

Botan nodded and Hiro frowned.

"Why? This is the team that everyone hates!"

She looked at his confused face and smiled.

"Yes, well, they're all my friends. And friends stand by each other no matter what."

Now it was Hiro's turn to nod slowly.

"I guess I can understand that much."

Yusuke who was looking for any sort of distraction to quell Keiko's wrath, turned his head to the left, only to find Botan chatting away with some kid.

"Who's your little boyfriend, Botan?" the detective inquired upon pointing at Hiro. "If I knew you had a thing for babies I would have set you and pacifier breath up ages ago!"

"Yusuke!" Botan shouted, narrowing her amethyst orbs in Yusuke's direction.

"Urameshi, that's not right," Kuwabara defended and Botan smiled. "Maybe she's attracted to midgets. In that case, shorty would be perfect for her!"

Hiei, who had only been half-heartedly listening to the conversation, was now giving it his full attention as glared murderously at Kuwabara, his hand reaching for his sword. Before he could get a word in, Hiro spoke up.

"These loudmouthed fools are your friends?" Hiro asked before snorting and pointedly staring at the two boys. "It's no wonder why everyone hates Team Urameshi…"

Botan restrained herself from laughing at the outraged looks on the boys' faces, but the smug grin on her face was more than enough to let them know how she felt.

"It seems the child has a valid point," Hiei smirked, finding no need to restrain the obvious amusement the situation brought for him.

Kurama, who had remained silent during the encounter, finally spoke up.

"Did you come here unaccompanied?"

Hiro nodded.

"Oh no, where will he stay?" Botan asked as she turned to Kurama.

"There is an inn a little ways off from the hotel we are staying in. I'm assuming it is for the demons that came to watch the tournament, am I right?" Kurama presumed and upon seeing the boy nod, he continued. "We can make arrangements for him to acquire a room."

"I already have my own room booked," Hiro answered, his eyes wandering around the empty stadium. "I guess I should be going back now. Everyone else already left."

"Do you want me to walk you, there?" Botan asked good-naturedly.

Hiro shook his head adamantly.

"I'm not a child; I can get back on my own."

"Of course you can," Botan relented. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

He began to walk off, turning around one last time to wave, before breaking off into a light jog.

"He's a regular bundle of joy, that kid…" Yusuke muttered.

"Don't think I'm finished with you, Yusuke!" Keiko said as she rounded on him.

"You either, Kazuma," Shizuru warned.

"When you two are finished, it's my turn! I can't even believe you guys would even suggest that Hiei and I become a couple! That is absolutely-" Botan stopped, covering a hand over her mouth as she looked in Hiei's direction, but he pointedly ignored her. She began to laugh nervously before continuing in a sheepish voice. "Not that the idea is a necessarily bad one! I didn't mean that you wouldn't be good boyfriend material or anything, in fact I'm sure you would be a great catch for a very lucky girl, I was just trying to-"

"Woman?" Hiei began through gritted teeth.

"Yes, Hiei?" Botan replied in the sweetest voice she could muster, hoping it would distract him from her previous statements.

"Do us all a favor and shut up."

"Right. You won't hear another peep out of me, I promise. I'll be as quiet as a-"

The glare he sent in her direction promptly silenced her and she hid behind the person closest to her: Kurama. The spirit-fox merely shook his head at the duo's antics. She then proceeded to whisper and asked Kurama if Hiei had always been so irritable, and Kurama nodded his head.

She seemed to forget that he was perfectly capable of hearing her, so he merely cocked his head in the other direction, intent on ignoring her and the other two quarreling females. He could deal with the enigmatic masked fighter, seeing as the fighter rarely talked to anyone else on the team. The detective and oaf would be too preoccupied with their human companions to bother him, and over the years he had grown accustomed to Kurama's ways. The only thing that bothered him now was the ferry-girl.

More than anyone else, he had a feeling she would be the source of many problems to come.

* * *

I have this whole story planned out. There was supposed to be more to this chapter, but it was getting too long so I had to cut it! I really love the Dark Tournament and there is SO much potential for Hiei and Botan seeing as they were staying in the same vicinity for so long and Botan claimed to be the team-trainer. She cares too much about everyone's well-being while Hiei doesn't care at all. But that will change soon!

Oh and I was watching some episodes of the Dark Tournament [I'm sure you all noticed, parts of the dialogue b/w Kuwabara-Botan-Hiei were right from the episode!] for reference, and Hiei is such a lil arrogant demon! He actually talks a lot more than I remember [heh] and most of the time he's is insulting everyone else. What a mean little man. But we all still love him.

Anyway, thanks for reading. If you liked it, please leave a review!


	2. Chapter 2

More Than Anyone Else

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

**A/N:** This was originally supposed to be part of the first chapter, but since it was so long, I had to cut it! So, this takes place on the same day as Chapter 1.

Chapter 2

* * *

After some further harassing from both Keiko and Shizuru, they all decided to go back to the hotel. The girls marveled at how regal the hotel was and their eyes were wide as they took it all in. As they continued to look the place over, they began to notice something strange about all of the occupants.

"I was under the impression that this was a demon-world affair, why are there so many humans around?" Shizuru asked as she pointed skeptically.

"Many corrupt and greedy humans who have business with the Black Market are also involved with Demon World affairs. They place bets on their favored teams and watch the tournaments from special box-seats above the arena. Lord Koenma, the man you both met earlier, is an important guest and owner of our team, so he is probably around here somewhere as well," Botan explained.

"The toddler's here?" Yusuke asked, his brows quirked up as a mischievous grin appeared on his face. "Quick, Botan. Go make sure he didn't get lost, a baby shouldn't be left unattended, you know."

"Yusuke!" Botan admonished. "You know he doesn't like it when you make fun of his age!"

"Toddler?" Keiko echoed. "The man we met before wasn't a toddler."

Botan smiled sheepishly, trying to move the conversation away from her boss.

"Don't bother yourself with the nonsense that comes out of Yusuke's mouth; let's go see our room, shall we?" she suggested, taking the two girls' hands in hers and leading them to their appropriate suite.

"What are they so excited for?" Yusuke muttered as he watched them enter the elevators. "This isn't a friggin' vacation, it's a demon tournament!"

Kuwabara nodded in agreement.

"I don't have a good feeling about them being here, Urameshi, it's too dangerous."

"There is nothing more we can do," Kurama informed. "There are no more boats scheduled for departure until the end of the tournament. They have no choice but to remain on Hanging Neck Island until that time comes."

"That's no good…" Yusuke muttered as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm sure Koenma will keep an eye out for them when we are engaged in battle," Kurama offered.

"He still hasn't mastered the art of potty-training," Yusuke countered. "I doubt he could keep track of them."

"There's always Botan," Kuwabara mentioned hopefully.

Hiei resisted the urge to snort. That ditzy woman looked incapable of monitoring herself, let alone two other women.

Yusuke's face fell.

"…Botan? The same girl who we had to save about a hundred times on our mission to rescue Yukina?"

"I forgot about that!" Kuwabara laughed nervously before his face suddenly brightened. "I wonder how my ice-princess is doing. Who knows, she might even be here and I'll be able to see her beautiful face again!"

The enamored look in Kuwabara's eyes made Hiei scowl in disgust. It was obvious the fool had some sort of sick affection for his sister, but Hiei was sure Yukina would never fall for an imbecile like him; he was just too dense. He was even foolish enough to think that she would be at this tournament surrounded by bloodthirsty low-class demons. It was preposterous. She would never come here; no matter how important the reason.

"I can only assume she is living a safe and comfortable life back in the Ice Village," Kurama hoped.

"Yeah, I'm sure she's doin' fine." Yusuke's eyes landed on the fire-demon. "What do you think she's up to, Hiei?"

Hiei turned from Yusuke, his eye twitching in annoyance. He could feel all of their gazes on his back and he was sure that the detective was wearing that smug look on his face while Kurama just stood there with that equally infuriating all-knowing half smile. Sometimes he wondered if he would have been better off rotting away in the deepest pits of Reikai Prison. No punishment could ever be as dreadful as being surrounded by these idiots.

* * *

The girls look over their room, happily. It was beautiful; complete with all the accommodations necessary for them to enjoy their stay comfortably. Their belongings were already inside the room, courtesy of George. They began to unpack their clothes and claim their beds when Botan suddenly jumped up.

"What am I doing? I should be fulfilling my duties as Team-Trainer!"

"Are you even an actual trainer, or did you just make that up to get in on the action?" Shizuru asked as she lit a cigarette.

"I'm a licensed trainer, honest! And with my skills, I assure you, our boys will win this tournament!" She winked at them as she flashed a grin.

"I guess you're the optimist of the team, huh?" Shizuru confirmed as Botan actually contemplated it for a bit, before answering.

"In conditions as dismal as these, they could use some optimism. They didn't exactly sign up for this tournament and they were forced to participate in what is known as the most cut-throat and unruly tournament in all of the three worlds. Even bystanders are prone to injury or death, and that's just part of the thrill for these demons. They're going to need all the help they can get, and that's where I come in!" She picked up her first aid kit and made her way over to the door.

"Hey Botan?" Keiko called before she left and Botan turned back around.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry if I was rude to you earlier," Keiko admitted, thinking back to how she and Shizuru ganged up on Botan and forced her to bring them to the tournament. "I was just so tired of being left in the dark all the time and I guess I took it out on you."

Botan smiled warmly.

"Don't be silly, there's no need to apologize. I understand your frustration; if I had Yusuke as a boyfriend I'd be just as aggravated as you."

"He's not my…" Keiko began but Botan had already giggled and ran out of the room. "…boyfriend."

* * *

"Hello, boys!" Botan said cheerfully as she stepped inside the room, carrying a first-aid kit. Yusuke, Kuwabara, the masked fighter, and Kurama were seated near the couches which surrounded a single mahogany table. Hiei sat on the windowsill with one arm in his pocket and the other at his side. "How are you all feeling?"

"Great!" Yusuke claimed sarcastically. "We just barely survived the first round and everyone on the island would rather have us dead than alive and kicking. How do you think we feel?"

"What do you mean? You all won, didn't you?" She heard Kuwabara grunt and looked over to him sympathetically. "I mean, you all tried your best and that's what that matters!"

At their silence, she continued. "I assure you, pure dedication and determination along with a healthy dosage of confidence in your own strength will allow you all to come out victorious! You boys are the strongest fighters I know, you can do this!" Botan confessed as she pumped her fist in the air, smiling brightly at them. Her countenance seemed to be infectious as Yusuke's shoulders relaxed and he leaned back into the cushions of the couch, without making any further complaints.

Hiei laughed darkly at her incompetence and all eyes turned to the demon that was isolated in the corner of the room.

"Even you should at least have some sort of feel for sensing energy; were you unable to notice the strength of Team Toguro?" His eyes narrowed as he looked at her. "It is going to take a lot more than your silly little convictions to win."

"They aren't just 'silly convictions!' A little belief goes a long way, you know!" Botan shot back.

When Botan began spouting her nonsense, Hiei had already become increasingly annoyed. Kuwabara had said the same thing earlier, and look where that got him: he was the only member on the team who lost. If these humans continued to believe in such nonsense, it would only serve to lull them into a false sense of security, and in turn, they would end up losing. He had to put a stop to it now, seeing as he was the only member on the team who wasn't being swayed by the woman's words.

"What we need is more power," he began simply, his cold eyes resting on her form. "Even someone as simple-minded as you could understand that concept."

He could see from the corner of his eyes that she was taken back by his candor, but he was only speaking the honest truth. He had to resort to using his most powerful technique in the first round, costing him dearly. Team Toguro would be a difficult one to defeat, that is, if they could even make it up to the last round. Hiei knew fully well that they were the least favored team and there was no doubt in his mind that the Tournament Committee would make it hard for them to succeed. He wouldn't put it past them to try and disqualify or put them at some sort of disadvantage.

"Well excuse me for trying to help!" Botan huffed as she crossed her arms, turning her nose upward.

"Make yourself useful and leave," Hiei ordered and she faltered, breaking the proud stance she was once holding. "Your presence is not required here."

"I can't leave yet, not before making sure all of your injuries are tended to," Botan said stubbornly. "It's my duty as both assistant to the spirit detective and team-trainer!"

"Hn," he grunted as he jumped off of the windowsill. "I do not need your assistance," he replied proudly and before she even had a chance to protest, he had vanished.

"Must be that time of the month…" Yusuke muttered before looking at Botan. "Hey, don't look so down, Botan. Hiei just has a special way of expressing himself."

Botan just sighed in response, completely deflated after her argument with Hiei. His feelings towards her were pretty clear; and all she wanted to do was help him and the rest of the team.

"Urameshi's right, Hiei's like that with everyone," Kuwabara reassured. "He just thinks he's better than us, that's all."

"Yes, well, even if he doesn't like me, he could use my help. I'm quite good at healing, actually," Botan confessed.

"In time he will warm up to you," Kurama assured, realizing the true reasons behind Hiei's motives. The fire-demon did not want to alert anyone on the team of the damage the dragon had inflicted on his right arm. Kurama could only assume the use of his arm would be lost for the remainder of the tournament.

"I do hope he's alright, though. I'm sure he didn't escape Zeru's wrath completely unscathed." She watched the spot he previously occupied before snapping out of her thoughts. "I'll deal with him later; right now I'll be glad to patch you all up!"

* * *

By the time she finished healing and tending to the group, she found herself reasonably tired. The girls had finished packing their clothes and getting settled in and looked up to greet her when she re-entered the room.

"How did it go?" Shizuru asked.

"Everyone is in tip-top shape!" She exclaimed and then her face fell. "Everyone except Hiei, that is. He stormed off when I tried to help! It wouldn't kill him to accept some help, once in a while. I know he's used to doing things on his own, but we are comrades now!"

"Hiei's the same one who kidnapped me, right?" Keiko asked and Botan suddenly blanched.

"Uh…" Botan stuttered. "That's right, but he's uh, very sorry for that. He even told me to tell you how sorry he is!" Botan lied while laughing nervously.

"You're a horrible liar; you do know that, don't you?" Shizuru muttered as she took a drag of her cigarette.

"Yes, I've been told so." Botan's face fell. "I'll say it on his behalf, since Hiei isn't one to apologize. I'm sorry, Keiko. I'm sure he never meant to put you in any harm, he just needed a way to draw out Yusuke."

"Of course, because infecting me with some sort of demon eye that turns people into mindless slaves wouldn't be putting me in any harm at all," Keiko grumbled, still a bit sore over the whole ordeal.

The ferry-girl sighed.

"That's all in the past, let's just forgive and forget, shall we?" She briefly wondered why she even bothered to defend Hiei at all, but quickly shook that thought out of her head. He was an important asset to the team and had helped out on several occasions. "Hiei is on our side now; he even helped save all three worlds!"

"It's okay, Botan. You don't have to convince me, I hardly remember the day he kidnapped me. I can't hold a grudge for something I can't remember, right?" Keiko stated, her anger dissolving upon witnessing the ferry-girl's insistence. If someone as kind as Botan was defending him, he couldn't be all that bad, she figured.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Botan asked hesitantly as her eyes lingered on the other girl.

Keiko nodded.

"He has changed, hasn't he?"

"Not exactly…" Botan began and Keiko shot her a confused look. "The only reason he's helping us is because that's the only option he has, other than serving a rather lengthy sentence in prison. I'm sure he never imagined he would be working with a spirit detective and fighting to save the living world."

"Well, that's good enough for me," Keiko concluded with a small smile.

"Huh?"

"He can't commit anymore crimes now and…" she paused. "He's helping Yusuke. That's all that matters."

Botan nodded.

"That's the spirit, Keiko!"

Shizuru, who had remained silent for quite a while, finally spoke up.

"What's the deal with the redhead? He looks human, but something about him doesn't feel it."

"I'm always amazed by the spiritual awareness of the Kuwabara family!" Botan announced before letting out a long yawn. "It is a long and complicated story. One you will have to ask Kurama himself, I'm sure he can tell it better than I can. I think I'm going to take a small nap, all of that healing has zapped my energy!"

"Alright, you do that," Keiko soothed.

"If Koenma needs me, please wake me up."

"Will do," Shizuru said with a nod.

She climbed onto the bed with the intent of taking a short nap to regain her energy, but the soft bed and warm blankets lulled her into a deep sleep, and by the time she had woken up, it was already dark outside. She rubbed her eyes groggily and looked at the small piece of paper on the night stand. Keiko had written it, telling her that they were in the dining hall for dinner, and that she should come and join them as soon as she woke up.

After splashing some water on her face and making herself look more presentable, she had yet to shake the listless feeling off of her body. She knew just what would wake her up perfectly as she summoned her oar and hopped out of the window. Flying always made her feel like she was alive; even though she was technically already dead. As soon as the wind hit her body, she felt rejuvenated and a smile slowly appeared on her face.

Soon she had lost track of time and she flew around aimlessly, enjoying the feel of the cool night air against her face and the view of the stars that seemed to be within reach. As she gazed up, an energy blast made contact with her oar, sending her spiraling down back onto the land with a loud scream. She tried her best to steer her oar in such a way that the force of her fall would lesson, but it proved to be more difficult than she previously assumed, seeing as her oar was less than half of the size it originally was.

Finally, after a few moments of panicking, she managed to slow herself down enough that the fall wouldn't be fatal or injurious, and she hit the ground with a thud. Rubbing her sore back she stood up, eyeing her surroundings, and wondering if the energy blast was accidental or intentional. She then looked down at the splintered oar in her hand with a frown. Koenma would surely be mad at her for breaking her oar, again.

"Oh, I'll be in so much trouble!" Botan moaned as she examined her oar further. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice the figure that had crept up on her.

"I should have known it was you who was making that racket."

She jumped and almost let out a scream as she put a hand to her chest.

"Oh, Hiei! Thank goodness, it's only you."

He simply pointed to her as he looked at the broken oar in her hand.

"You were flying around on that thing?"

She nodded slowly and hid her splintered oar behind her back, suddenly feeling as if she had done something she shouldn't have.

Hiei narrowed his eyes and scowled in disgust.

"Demons don't think highly of you or your precious Spirit World. It isn't wise to go around flaunting who you are."

"I wasn't flaunting anything; I was minding my own business when a huge blast of energy came out of nowhere and ruined my oar!" Botan said animatedly as she withdrew her hand from behind her back and pointed to the broken oar with her free hand.

"Unfortunately the demon who aimed to kill you had horrible aim," Hiei mumbled as Botan's eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

"That isn't a very nice thing to-"

"-Showing your affiliation with Spirit World is like handing them an open invitation to attack. Next time you wander off to do something stupid it would do you well to remember that," Hiei ordered as he turned around, preparing to walk away.

"That's why you came all the way over here? To tell me how foolish I was acting?" Botan asked, shocked that he wasn't even going to help her get back to the hotel safely.

"I only came to find the source of that vile shrieking and kill it," he answered without turning around. "Seeing as you're under Koenma's protection, there is nothing I can do about it now." With that said he vanished from her sight, like a dark shadow blending into the night, leaving her alone and defenseless.

"He could have at least made sure I was alright before he left," Botan muttered before shaking her head. '_Then again, I guess I shouldn't have expected anything more_,' she thought. _'I guess I'll just have to get back on my own!'_ Botan put on a brave face as she attempted to make her way out of the dense forest. She had flown around aimlessly before, without really watching where she was going, and now she was thoroughly lost. She figured if she could at least get out of the forest, she could make her way back to the hotel in one piece.

The eerie silence of the forest caused panic to settle in her gut. There were no sounds inside the forest and no indication that anyone else was around, and yet she still felt as though someone was watching her. The air around her was thick and heavy causing goose bumps to rise on her arms and the hair on the back of her neck began to stand. She surveyed her surroundings cautiously and her pacing picked up its speed.

Suddenly a large demon lunged out from a bush and pinned her down to the ground. She struggled against him, but it was to no avail, he was nearly twice her size and considerably stronger than her. She began to scream for anyone to save her but the demon laughed at her.

"No one will come to your aid!"

The reality of his words hit her like a ton of bricks and she willed herself to calm down. If no one would save her, she would just have to find a way to save herself. Her eyes lit up with realization as she remembered the item she was wearing underneath her shirt. Pulling the small whistle out, she inhaled deeply, and blew into it.

The demon's face scrunched up in pain and he released her, clutching his ears and groaning. She managed to wriggle free from under his body and began to run as fast as her legs allowed her to.

Hiei, who had been trying to rest in one of the trees that he had found to his liking, heard the atrocious noise and nearly fell off of the branch he was perched upon. He jumped down from the tree angrily and caught sight of Botan running towards his direction. There was a silver whistle hanging around her neck and his eyes narrowed as he realized that she had been the cause of that dreadful sound.

"What did I tell you?"

Botan came to a sudden halt when she saw Hiei a few yards ahead of her. She almost let out a sigh of relief, but the murderous glare he was throwing her way quickly suppressed any thoughts of salvation she thought she had found in him.

"I didn't do anything to draw attention to myself, honest! I was simply walking back towards the hotel when a demon attacked!"

"So you're telling me you weren't the source of that agonizing sound?" He said as he stepped closer towards her.

"I used it to create a distraction and make my escape!" Botan explained frantically, taking a step back when she noticed Hiei was advancing on her.

"You fool!" Hiei bit out harshly. "That whistle alerted every demon on Hanging Neck Island of your presence!"

Botan gasped upon hearing this, her eyes wide in fear.

They heard the rustling and sounds of footsteps coming from behind them and Botan tensed up. It sounded like more than one demon, and she could only assume they were all after her. Hiei took one look at the ferry girl, who had been standing there terrified, before cursing. She would never make it out of the forest in time without her oar and he couldn't ignore her obvious needs for help and leave like the last time.

Keeping his injured hand concealed within his pocket, he grabbed her roughly with his free arm, throwing her over his shoulder effortlessly. She yelped at his sudden gesture and, without so much as a warning, he began to sprint off. Tears sprung to her eyes as the wind bit harshly against her face due to Hiei's speed. She forced her eyes shut to avoid the wind and considered urging him to slow down, before quickly dismissing that thought. It was either put up with Hiei's unnatural speed or get mauled by a mob of angry demons. Her heart was beating loudly and she was certain Hiei would be able to hear it, but before she had a chance to think another thought, they had come to a stop. He dropped her unceremoniously on the ground and Botan winced, still sore from her first fall.

"Stay out of my way, woman. You have already distracted me enough and I assure you I will leave you to die a painful death if you go out wandering on your own again." His ruby eyes seemed to glow against the backdrop of the black sky, only adding to his intimidating countenance.

Botan gulped and nodded her head nervously; suddenly finding it very hard to speak. The way he spoke, with such indifference towards her life, was frightening, to say the least. There was absolutely no need to be so cruel; she was positive he was only doing this to scare her, and it was working.

"Get inside," he ordered and she just stared back at him, confused. She figured he would leave her again without caring whether or not she got inside safely, just like he did in the forest.

"Are you deaf, woman? I said _go_."

That's when she noticed a couple of demons walking towards them, one of them being the same one that attacked her, and her eyes widened in realization.

"Please, be careful," she urged, sending him a concerned look. He stared back at her for a moment, his crimson orbs boring into her own, before she tore her gaze away from his and ran inside the hotel. She was lost in her own thoughts as she continued to walk away from the entrance of the hotel, wondering if he was actually trying to protect her. Before she could contemplate his actions any further Keiko had rushed up to her.

"Botan! Where were you? We've all been worried sick!"

Confusion seeped onto her features as she watched the others quickly come to her side.

"I just went for a stroll…" she stated, deciding to downplay the events of the night.

"When we came upstairs to find you gone, Keiko nearly flipped. All the guys were about to go searching for you; it's a good thing you came back while you did," Shizuru acknowledged.

Botan nodded slowly, a sheepish grin on her face.

"And just what the hell made you think you could go walking around unprotected in an island full of demons at night?" Yusuke asked as he eyed her suspiciously.

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!" Botan claimed in a vain attempt to defend herself. Upon hearing Yusuke snort, she went on. "Besides… I wasn't alone."

"Oh, is that so?" Yusuke muttered sarcastically, upset that his friend would do something so reckless. "Imaginary friends don't count."

Botan glared at him defiantly.

"I was referring to a living, breathing person, Yusuke."

"Yeah and who might that be?"

"For your information, the person who saved me was-" she suddenly froze as Hiei's voice appeared in her head.

'_Tell them I aided you and I will not hesitate to torture you slowly_,' he said simply, and Botan gulped.

"Saved?" Kuwabara echoed.

Botan was too busy contemplating the validity of Hiei's death threats to hear what the others were saying. The troubled look on her face only increased as the seconds passed by.

Yusuke's eyes narrowed.

"You got yourself into trouble again?" He sighed. "Didn't anybody ever tell you curiosity killed the cat?"

"Leave her alone, Yusuke!" Keiko said as she pulled the ferry-girl away from Yusuke's interrogation, believing that Yusuke was the source of her anxiety. "All that matters is that she's safe."

"Keiko's right. You must be hungry, you haven't eaten since we got here," Shizuru added as she put a hand on the ferry-girl's shoulder.

Botan snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at Shizuru with a forced grin.

"You're absolutely right, a good meal is just what I need," she said as she laughed sheepishly and took this opportunity to distance herself from the group and their attentions. She was never good at keeping secrets anyway and if she continued to be questioned by them she was sure to let it slip that Hiei had rescued her.

"Botan, you're going the wrong way!" Keiko called to the ferry girl.

"Oh, you're right," Botan said absentmindedly as she looked around, realizing she had no clue where to go.

"Perhaps you two should direct her to the dining hall," Kurama suggested as he turned to the two remaining women.

The girls took his advice and joined up with Botan, leading her to the dining hall.

When they were out of earshot, Kurama turned to Yusuke and Kuwabara.

"Follow me."

Kurama had seemed awfully serious and they wasted no time in asking for explanations, instead choosing to follow obediently. As he led them outside of the hotel, they were surprised to find the remains of a few demons scattered on the ground. After the initial shock subsided, they took notice of Hiei, who didn't seem the least bit affected by what surrounded him.

"It really must be that time of the month; first you take your anger out on Botan and now on these poor bastards. Remind me not to get on your bad side," Yusuke said half jokingly, unsure if Hiei had snapped or was simply defending himself.

Hiei remained silent, not even bothering to look at the three members of his team.

"Are these the demons that were pursuing Botan?" Kurama questioned as he looked up from the corpses lying on the ground and focused his gaze on Hiei.

At this Yusuke and Kuwabara frowned, realizing she was in some sort of trouble and didn't even bother to tell them.

"Hn." Hiei crossed his arms, refusing to look at him. It was only natural that Kurama had heard that infernal whistle and would have realized that something was going on.

"I take it you disposed of all of them? It wouldn't be good for her to have enemies in a place such as this," Kurama noted.

"This has nothing to do with that woman's safety," Hiei assured. "They crossed me, and that is all you need to know."

Kurama just nodded in response, his years of experience in dealing with Hiei giving him an insight which the other two teammates lacked. He smiled as he turned around began to walk towards the glass doors of the hotel.

"So, is she in trouble or not?" Kuwabara asked, looking between Kurama's retreating form and Hiei's stationary one.

"Let's turn in for the night, we have to wake up early and scout the competition tomorrow," Kurama reminded, without answering Kuwabara's question.

Yusuke lingered for a moment before he smirked knowingly.

"It really pisses me off how you demons like to speak in code," he began nonchalantly as he followed Kurama back inside the hotel. "But, I guess since you're so relaxed we have nothing to worry about."

Hiei merely grunted and began to walk off in the opposite direction of the hotel; back into the depths of the forest. As he sheathed his sword, he winced at the discomfort he felt whenever he used his injured hand. Tomorrow would be a whole day without fighting; he would use it to regain his strength and somehow figure out a way to salvage the usage of his right arm. He couldn't afford to go on another day in this tournament without being in peak physical condition.

* * *

"Botan, what's going with you?" Keiko questioned as she stared at the unusually quiet girl.

She looked up from her place with a half-hearted grin.

"Nothing's wrong, I'm perfectly fine!"

"You haven't touched your food at all and you haven't said a word since we sat down," Shizuru countered. "I know I haven't known you for very long, but I'd say by now I know you well enough to realize when something's bothering you."

She began to laugh nervously as the two girl's attentions became unnerving.

"I'm probably just tired, is all! Wandering around in the forest can really drain a girl's energy!"

The two women just stared back at Botan, apparently unconvinced. Their gazes became too much for her and she broke under pressure.

"Okay, already, I'll tell you both, but you have to promise not to tell a soul!" Botan urged, before her brows wrinkled in thought. "Then again, with his jagan eye, he could probably just read any one of our minds and find out that I told you! It would be best not to say anything, after a-"

"So Hiei's the one who's been on your mind!" Keiko concluded with a self-satisfied expression on her face.

Botan eyes widened at the mention of his name.

"How did you know?"

"If the jagan eye wasn't a dead give away, I don't know what was," Shizuru replied.

"Oh," Botan huffed. "Well I suppose there's no point in keeping the secret anymore."

"You can tell us, we won't tell a soul," Keiko insisted as Shizuru nodded in agreement.

Botan took a deep breath before going on to tell them about the argument the two of them had in the hotel room, then how she happened to stumble upon him twice in the forest, and how he saved her from the horde of demons that were after her.

"So he argues over your clashing ideals and disregards you when you try to help him. Then he abandons you in a forest full of demons, only to come back and save you. And to top it all off he threatens you into keeping it a secret," Shizuru said summing up their encounters.

Botan nodded.

"That's right."

Suddenly Keiko began to laugh and the two other women turned to her with confused looks.

"Is something the matter?" Botan asked.

"I'm sorry," Keiko said as she stifled her laughter. "It's just… he almost sounds like a child."

"A child?" Botan echoed as she cocked her head to the side.

"He sounds like one of those little boys who are experiencing his first crush. They tease and bully the girl they like, only because they don't understand what to do with their own feelings. Then they have their sweet moments, before quickly reverting back to their childish ways."

"You're right," Shizuru agreed. "But could you ever imagine Hiei having something as innocent and pure as a child-like crush?"

"That's exactly why I was laughing," Keiko revealed. "It's impossible."

'_He just doesn't understand…'_ Botan thought as Keiko's words echoed in her head. Maybe, he didn't hate her after all; he just had a different way of expressing himself. The very fact that he went through all of the trouble of carrying her out of the forest and confronting the demons that were after her only proves that he must have a noble heart and a good conscience buried somewhere deep within his chest.

Then again, she had honestly believed his words when he claimed that he wouldn't hesitate to abandon her, should she get into trouble again. And he did sound awfully thrilled at the prospect of torturing her slowly, should she slip up and mention that he had saved her. There was so much mystery surrounding him that she never knew was to expect with a guy like Hiei.

Botan just couldn't figure him out and more than anyone else, she wished she could.

* * *

I'm so happy I'm getting such good feedback for this story! I thought the HB fandom was practically gone, but it's good to see people are still interested in it! Thanks a lot for the kind reviews, they motivate me to stop being lazy and actually update. Hope you liked this chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

More Than Anyone Else

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 3

* * *

"Botan, wake up!" Keiko said as she shook the uneasy girl.

Botan immediately shot up from the bed, breathing heavily. When she noticed she was safe and sound in the hotel room, she let out a sigh of relief and put a hand over her racing heart.

"Are you alright?" Keiko asked, her voice laced in concern. "You were having a nightmare."

The ferry-girl looked at her wearily and nodded.

"I'm fine now, it was all just dream…"

"Do you want to talk about it?" the brunette asked.

"It's silly, really…" Botan muttered as she looked down at the bed sheets.

"It was about Hiei, wasn't it?" Keiko asked.

Botan looked up at the girl in surprise.

"How did you know?"

It was then that Shizuru decided to stroll out of the bathroom, running a hand through her damp hair.

"You were muttering his name in your sleep," the taller woman said. "I couldn't tell if you were having a nightmare or a really good dream," she added with a smug look on her face.

"It wasn't anything of the sort!" Botan exclaimed, a light blush spreading across her cheeks. "Hiei discovered that I told you two about him saving me, and he wanted revenge!" she explained.

_'He was just about to catch me, too!'_ she thought with a shiver.

Keiko put a hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to worry about him, Yusuke and Kuwabara won't let anything happen to you."

Botan nodded with a small smile.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Shizuru inquired. "I just checked my brother's room and he wasn't in there. It's not like him to be up so early."

"That's because he's probably out scouting the competition," Botan informed before letting out a gasp. She looked back at the clock and slapped a hand to her forehead. "Oh no, I was supposed to meet up with the boys half an hour ago!"

* * *

"I guess these demons don't like us very much, huh Urameshi?" Kuwabara muttered as he tried to ignore the glares from the various demons that were seated near him.

"Yes," Botan interjected from behind the two boys. "It would seem so."

"Where did you come from?" Kuwabara exclaimed, surprised by her abrupt entrance.

"More importantly, where have you been?" Yusuke questioned.

He moved over allowing Botan to sit between him and Kuwabara.

Botan waved them both off nonchalantly.

"Oh, don't worry about that! All that matters is that I'm here now, right?"

"Don't try and change the subject, Botan. I hope you didn't wander off and do something stupid again," Yusuke warned.

Botan shook her head furiously.

"I didn't, I swear!"

"Oh yeah, you never did tell us what happened with you and Hiei last night," Kuwabara mentioned. "Did he hurt you?"

"No!"

"Did he put you in danger or something?" Kuwabara continued.

"No! I for one am ashamed you would even think those things!" Botan admonished as she remembered how he protected her from the demons who wanted to harm her.

Kuwabara huffed.

"It's not like we know a lot about the guy. I wouldn't be surprised."

"Relax, Kuwabara," Yusuke advised. "Hiei might be a cocky little bastard, but we can trust him. He wouldn't hurt Botan or any of the other girls."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Kuwabara relented. "I remember back when I was training with Kurama, he mentioned something about Hiei and his honor code…"

"Hiei has an honor code?" Botan cut in, surprised by the sudden turn of the conversation.

"Yeah," Kuwabara answered. He stopped to clear his voice and then went on to give an impression of Kurama. "Your weakness and Hiei's honor make him go easy on you, but I will not."

"That was horrible!" Yusuke said between chuckles as he clutched his sides. "You're lucky Kurama wasn't around to hear it, otherwise you'd have a death seed up your ass!"

Kuwabara glared at Yusuke before continuing.

"Anyway, I was too overwhelmed by Kurama's strength to even give his words any thought, but now that I think of it, it's kind of hard to believe that Hiei of all people lives by an honor code."

"I think that's very noble of him," Botan revealed, suddenly feeling guilty after hearing her own words. She unfairly judged Hiei without even taking the chance to properly know him first. If he had an honor code, he couldn't possibly be as bad as she thought, and now she was certain he would never intentionally hurt her.

"Get ready folks, because now Team Toguro will face off against the Spirit Warriors!" Koto's voice broke Botan out of her thoughts and she looked towards the ring.

Botan watched as all five members of the Spirit Warriors entered the ring, followed by Toguro. She looked around and was surprised to find that none of the other members of the team were present.

"Does he honestly plan on fighting alone?" Botan asked incredulously as she watched Koto give the signal for the match to begin.

One by one he overpowered the burly members of the Spirit Warriors, and their impressive display of energy was overshadowed by Toguro's awesome strength. He didn't even seem to be taking them seriously as he tossed them aside effortlessly.

"I-I can't believe it…" Kuwabara muttered, his eyes wide in disbelief.

Once he had disposed of the team, Toguro turned towards the Urameshi team, and although his eyes were covered by his shades, they all knew he was looking directly at Yusuke.

Botan gulped as she watched the two fighters interact silently. Yusuke glared back at Toguro with all the fierceness he could muster, but she could see that he was shaken up, and she was pretty sure Toguro had noticed it too. If Yusuke, who was always so fearless and cocky, could be frightened by such beastly power, then it was only natural that Botan's heart rate was speeding up. Toguro wasn't looking at her directly, but the mere fact that he was staring in her general direction was enough to cause shivers down her spine.

She had never witnessed someone with such strength before. It felt as though his energy was a palpable substance, suffocating her and overwhelming her senses. The moment he looked away from them and went his own way, she began to breathe heavily, only then realizing she had been holding her breath in fear of attracting attention from him. She looked to Yusuke and Kuwabara who were just as disoriented as her.

"Let's go," Yusuke said finally, as he stood up.

"But don't you want to watch the rest of the matches?" Botan asked, once she was sure her voice would not fail her.

"I've seen all I needed to see," Yusuke said grimly as he began to walk away.

"Come on, Botan," Kuwabara urged, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"Alright."

She stood up along with Kuwabara and trailed after Yusuke.

The walk back to the hotel had been an awkward one, filled with silence, and Botan's lame attempts to getting the boys to cheer up. When they reached the hotel room, she was glad to find the masked fighter sitting at the table. _'Maybe their teammate might be able to cheer them up!'_ she thought with a smile.

"You all should see this," the enigmatic figure said, pushing a piece of paper closer towards them. The trio paused for a moment to look at each other, before scattering themselves around the table and peering down at the sheet.

"That's ridiculous!" Botan wailed. "You're the only team that has to fight four times!"

"I can see just fine, but I think my ears might be messed up after your little outburst," Yusuke groaned as he rubbed his ears.

Botan huffed and crossed her arms.

"This is no time for jokes, Yusuke. It wouldn't kill you to be a bit serious, you know!"

"And it wouldn't kill you to quiet down."

"You-"

"This is serious, Yusuke," the masked fighter interrupted. "Instead of acting like nothing fazes you, maybe you should take in the gravity of the situation."

"Get off my ass," he replied with a wave of his hand. "All we have to do is win, right? And that's exactly what I plan on doing."

"With the absence of your spirit gun and one of your teammates crippled and screaming in pain, I would think this would be a cause for concern."

Upon hearing these words Yusuke's eyes widened and Botan gasped.

"Crippled?" Kuwabara echoed. "If I'm okay, and you're okay," he said as he pointed to Yusuke. "Then that only leaves Kurama and the shrimp."

"Well, now I'm worried," Yusuke admitted, his eyes drifting back to the sheet once more.

* * *

Hiei was in an isolated section of the beach. He believed a simple good night's rest to regain his energy and strength would be the key in healing his arm, as it had before, but he had awoken this morning to the same useless and crippled limb that he had been afflicted with yesterday. In the back of his mind he knew that he wouldn't recover over night, but he stubbornly brushed it off and chose to believe that he could overcome the effects of the darkness technique on his own.

He was definitely at a disadvantage now, but that just meant he had to work harder during his matches. Losing was not an option. He had to win, no matter what the cost.

He forced himself to pick up his sword with his right arm, but each time it clattered to the ground. It looked as though he had pushed himself to the limit, and any further training would be useless. Forming a fist and opening it was bad enough, it left him screaming in pain. All of his futile training had overstrained his arm and he was left feeling more pain than before. He fell to his knees and began groaning in agony. It was a good thing that there was no one around because he would never want anyone to witness him in the pathetic state he was in.

Unbeknownst to him, Botan was walking along the shore, lost in her own thoughts.

The sun was already setting and cast its reflection on the water, giving it red and orange hues. Hanging Neck Island was a beautiful place, but its beauty had been undermined by the violence and bloodshed that occurred on its land. And its beauty went unnoticed by Botan, who was wrapped up in her own thoughts.

A frown was plastered on her face as she thought back to the earlier events of the day. Toguro's power was so great she was still in shock over it. It was hard to believe someone of that magnitude was their opponent. His power was so crushing, she felt as though she could hardly breathe in his presence.

As she walked along the shore, she saw a familiar form doubled over in pain. It was Hiei! She quickly ran over to him, only to see that he was clutching his right arm and groaning in agony. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that his arm was burnt and singed.

"Hiei!" Botan cried in alarm and he looked up from his crouched position to see her looking down at him. "Is this the effects of the darkness technique?"

He put his hand in his pocket and stood up.

"Leave."

He was not used to having someone worry over him, much less try to take care of him. Kurama was the only one who tried, but even he knew Hiei's limits when it came to others. This woman seemed to have no boundaries.

Botan shook her head furiously.

"How can I leave when you're clearly in need of assistance? You need to get medical attention, Hiei. I can even heal you, if you'd like."

"Look at you, it's obvious you're scared of me and yet you're still butting your nose into my affairs. Let me be."

"I'm not afraid of you!" Hiei threw her a look of disbelief and she corrected herself. "…Well I used to be, but you're part of our team now!"

"Then these goose bumps must be because you're cold?" Hiei grabbed her arm and she shivered at the contact. He looked at her slowly, gauging her reaction before pulling away with a grunt. "In that case, I'd suggest you cover up or wear clothes appropriate to your feeble resistance to the weather," he mocked, clearly unconvinced.

"I'm not cold and I'm not afraid…" Botan insisted. She believed if she admitted that she was afraid, she would start to believe that their whole situation was hopeless. She couldn't allow fear or doubt to creep into her heart. She had to remain strong.

"Even without the use of my jagan eye, it's all too easy to read you," he scoffed. "I don't want nor do I need your false sympathies."

The moment she stepped up to him he could sense her fear and he couldn't blame her. After receiving his death threats along with witnessing the dragon yesterday, he didn't expect anything less of her.

"It's not you that I'm afraid of…" she revealed finally. "…it's Toguro."

"So, you witnessed his power," Hiei said, crossing his arms. He briefly wondered if Toguro had approached her in anyway but quickly shot that thought away, he didn't care, anyway. "Good. Now you realize it takes more than your silly little convictions and faith to survive here. Brute strength is the only thing that governs this land."

"If that's the case then why won't you let me heal your arm? How can you possibly expect to fight at your best without the use of your dominant hand?" Botan argued.

"It will heal on its own," he replied stubbornly.

"It looks very serious; you shouldn't brush it off like that," she advised.

Her amethyst eyes bore into his own and Hiei found himself averting his gaze. He wasn't used to someone worrying over him and it was beginning to get uncomfortable. "This is nothing."

"Doesn't it hurt?" She asked.

"No," he lied, shoving his hand in his pocket.

"I promise I'll leave you alone if you would just let me take a look at your arm."

"No."

"But Hiei-"

"Stop pestering me, woman."

"No! You stop being so stubborn!"

He growled at her and she shrunk back a little. She figured he could probably slit her throat without anyone ever knowing; they were all alone on the beach, after all. But then she remembered that he was part of their team, an ally, and he couldn't harm her.

"That won't work on me, Hiei! You said it yourself, for the remainder of this tournament you are part of our team. You can't hurt me," Botan said confidently as she put her hands on her hips.

He revealed the blade of his sword, glinting in the sunlight and reflecting off into her eyes.

"Yes, I do recall saying that. I will not harm another member of Team Urameshi."

"And I'm part of the team," she muttered sheepishly, suddenly feeling nervous as his ruby eyes gazed upon her intensely. "I'm the team trainer, remember?"

"As far as I'm concerned there are only four other individuals on this team, and you," he said, pausing as he pointed the blade towards her, "…are not one of them."

Botan took a few steps backwards, noticing that Hiei was advancing on her.

"W-what about your honor code?" she asked feebly.

"…"

Hiei froze upon hearing her question, shocked that she would even know about it. He no longer bared his sword at her; instead he held it at his side.

"Where did you get such a ridiculous notion?" he asked.

Botan's eyes lit up as she realized she had just saved herself.

"Kuwabara told me all about it! You can't harm me because it will go against your own morals!"

"That may be true," Hiei began and Botan's smile vanished the moment she saw the corners of his mouth turn upward to form a sinister smirk. "But killing you is an exception I'd be willing to make."

Botan yelped and pointed towards the direction of the hotel, her eyes wide in fear.

"I do believe I heard Koenma calling for me," she gulped. "Yes, I hear him loud and clear. I guess I better get going then!"

"I'll come back to heal you some other time!" she called out lamely as she began to speed walk away from Hiei.

Hiei watched as Botan ran off into the direction of the hotel and sighed. For some strange reason, the events of last night continued to play in his head and he couldn't erase that troubled look she gave him. She told him to be careful, and that was something no one had ever told him before, not in that way. If he had heard that sentiment from anyone else his first instinct would be to assume that they were underestimating him. But she wasn't. Instead of looking down on him or underestimating his abilities, she was more concerned with his well-being than anything else, and she genuinely wanted him to make it out of the fight unscathed. Then she came to him again, offering to heal his arm, with that same concerned look on her face. He just couldn't understand her.

His initial instincts about her were true, and she was beginning to become a real nuisance. She was the type of person who worried about everyone, the type of person he hated the most.

"Is something the matter, Hiei?"

Hiei looked up at Kurama, without a word.

"You look like you're in deep thought over something, is there any way I can be of assistance?"

"Not unless you would be willing to get rid of that infuriating ferry-girl," Hiei muttered before sheathing his sword.

"Ah, so Botan is the one who is taking up all of your thoughts," Kurama concluded.

Hiei glanced over at him.

"I don't like the way you make it sound."

"She was hurt by your cold attitude yesterday," the redhead informed. "Would it kill you to be civil?"

"I am being civil. She's still living, isn't she?" Hiei countered.

Kurama just shook his head knowingly.

"In any case, I came to inform you of our upcoming matches. It seems that we will be the only team forced to fight four rounds."

"I wouldn't expect anything less of those bastards," Hiei noted.

Kurama nodded.

"True, but you can't possibly fight in the condition you are in."

"I can manage," Hiei pressed. "This is nothing."

"You can at least try to get some medical attention. Perhaps I can be of assistance."

"Now you're starting to sound like the woman," Hiei groaned.

At this Kurama let out a small chuckle.

"I'm merely trying to help."

Hiei rolled his eyes.

"I don't need help from anyone. Not you and not her."

* * *

_'Things don't look too good for our boys.'_ Botan sighed as she trudged towards the hotel. _'Toguro is extremely powerful, Yusuke's spirit energy is acting wacky, and on top of that Hiei is crippled. I hope they will be alright…'_

She stopped for a moment to turn around and look back at the direction Hiei was in. She didn't really believe that he would hurt her; he was probably just trying to scare her. If she was a bit braver she would have stuck around to challenge his empty threat, but she figured she had done enough. Maybe in time they would both become more comfortable around each other and he wouldn't feel the need to scare her off.

Botan turned back around, only to find Hiro at the entrance of the hotel. He was standing there and it looked as though he was contemplating whether or not he should go inside. He took a step forward before groaning.

"Ugh, this is so stupid!" he huffed.

_'Could he be here to see me?'_ she wondered as she watched the boy take another hesitant step towards the entrance.

"Hiro!" Botan called out, deciding to make her presence known. She was sure he would continue to linger at the door and second guess himself if she didn't interrupt him.

He froze for a moment, completely stiff before turning around and facing Botan.

"I-uh, I was just…" he trailed off.

"What brings you to this side of the island?" Botan teased as she ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Not that it's any of your business," he began defensively as he slapped her hand away. "… but I just wanted to explore a bit," he lied.

Botan smiled knowingly.

"Oh, I see."

"That's right, so don't go thinking anything weird, like I was here to see you," he warned before pointing a finger in her direction. "Because I wasn't."

"Of course not. So, did you enjoy the matches today?" Botan asked good-naturedly.

He nodded.

"Your friends didn't participate today."

"We got lucky and ended up having a whole day free!" Botan informed. "So we decided to scout the competition, in order to be prepared for what lies ahead."

"Why do you keep on saying 'we'? Are you part of the team or something?" Hiro asked.

"Bingo! I'm the team trainer!" Botan beamed.

Hiro snorted.

"No offense, but you guys are gonna need all the help you can get."

"Don't worry; I'll whip them into shape!" Botan declared as she pumped a fist in the air. "So you'll cheer for us, right?"

Hiro looked up at her reluctantly.

"I mean, not out loud, of course. I know Team Urameshi isn't a crowd favorite and I wouldn't want to put you in any danger…" Botan frowned. "Then again, I probably shouldn't hang around you, in case anybody sees and decides to do something horrible to you just because you're affiliated with us. I don't want-"

"I'll do it," Hiro declared firmly, his red eyes full of determination.

Botan looked down at him in surprise.

"What?"

"I'll root for your team," he said as he looked down at the grass. "…so don't let me down."

Before Hiro could even react, he found himself being hugged tightly.

"Thank you!"

"Wh-what are you doing?" he cried as he tried to pull the woman off of him. After a while of fruitless complaints and refusing, he settled down and allowed her to continue hugging him. His eyes were wide as he surveyed the area and once he realized nobody else was around, he visibly relaxed.

When Botan finally decided to release him she was smiling brightly. Upon hearing his declaration, a storm of emotions welled up within Botan. She found herself feeling a lot more confident and he had unknowingly given her the resolve she needed to believe and trust her teammates. They were all strong and they would persevere; she was sure of it now. Hiro was counting on them to win, too, and she didn't want to disappoint him. So what if Toguro was insanely strong? They would just have to become even stronger than that, she concluded.

"How about I treat you to lunch?" Botan asked as she held the hotel door open. "The food here is quite good!"

"Whatever," he answered as nonchalantly as he could, a faint blush still lingering on his cheeks. "So long as I don't have to pay for it…"

* * *

Hiei and Kurama had spent the day scouting out the competition. Hiei was surprised to find that their next opponent, the Ichigaki Team, was composed of three human boys and two demons. They weren't that different from the Urameshi Team, actually, and although he would have normally disregarded them, he decided it would be best not to take them lightly. Nothing was as it seemed in this tournament, and his instincts were telling him that something wasn't quite right with that team.

He and Kurama were currently trudging through the forest, but Hiei wasn't ready to retire to the hotel just yet. He had a feeling if he returned to the hotel he would run into someone he didn't want to see, and instead of engaging in any unwanted interactions, he decided he would much rather spend the rest of the evening alone.

"You go on, I'll remain here for a while," Hiei stated as he turned his back on Kurama, his eyes lingering over the trees as he contemplated which one he would choose to settle in.

"Very well then," Kurama replied. "I'll see you back at the— Botan?"

"Botan?" Hiei muttered in confusion. The word was so foreign to him and yet, he felt as though he should have known its meaning. That's when the ferry-girl flashed through his mind and he came to the conclusion that she was here.

"Hello boys!"

Hiei immediately turned to the direction of the chipper voice and frowned when he noticed that she was making her way over to them, the little brat following suit.

"What brings you here?" Kurama questioned.

"Well, I ran into Hiro and I decided to walk him back to his hotel. I wouldn't feel right if I left him unaccompanied."

"That might not be the best idea," Kurama remarked.

"Hm?" She raised a brow. "Why not?"

"Because you would be alone on your way back, you fool," Hiei remarked with a hint of annoyance, unable to tolerate her oblivious nature.

"Oh, that's right!" Botan realized, her eyes wide. "How silly of me…" She looked down at Hiro and frowned. "But I wouldn't feel right if I let him go back alone."

"I'll take him," Kurama offered.

Botan clapped her hands together.

"That would be wonderful! Thank you, Kurama!"

"Don't go thanking him just yet," Hiro warned while stepping forward and facing Kurama. "I already told Botan that I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone's help," he asserted firmly. "Not hers and definitely not yours."

"Almost feels like dejavu," Kurama muttered, his emerald eyes landing on Hiei.

"Hn." Hiei crossed his arms.

Botan bent down so that she was at eye level with Hiro and gave him a warm smile.

"Kurama is an excellent fighter and a brilliant tactician, I bet he could teach you a lot of new tricks," Botan lured.

Hiro looked to Kurama skeptically and Kurama nodded.

"I wouldn't mind sharing a few pointers."

"Alright, I'll go with him," Hiro relented. "Just this once."

Botan nodded.

"In any case, it would be best if you walked back to the hotel with Hiei. We wouldn't want a repeat of last night, now would we?" Kurama recommended with a small smile.

"I suppose not," Botan agreed reluctantly as she turned to Hiei.

"Kurama…" Hiei gritted.

"It can't be helped, unless you would rather accompany the boy?" Kurama suggested.

Hiei could have sworn he saw the fox smirk and he hated him for it. Either put up with a bratty child or a talkative ferry-girl. Although both choices were torturous, he would rather take his chances with the woman; he hardly knew anything about children, anyway.

"Hn."

"It's settled, then. I'll see you two back at the hotel," Kurama informed.

"Insufferable fox…" Hiei muttered as he began to stalk off towards their hotel, not caring whether or not Botan decided to follow.

After a few moments of thanking Kurama and saying goodbye to the boy, he heard her footsteps advancing towards him. Soon enough, she had caught up with him, and he could tell by her breathing that she had been running in order to keep the distance between them to a minimal. Figuring it would be much more difficult if she collapsed because of exhaustion — he would be the one that ended up carrying her, after all — he slowed down a bit, taking slower strides in order for her to keep up.

"I'm sorry you have to put up with me again," Botan apologized. "But it's not so bad. We can get to know each other better! After all, I hardly know a thing about you and—"

Hiei glared at her and she quickly turned away.

"Maybe that wasn't the best suggestion," she muttered sheepishly. "Let's start off nice and simple, shall we? How did your day go?"

"Woman, shut up or I will not hesitate to slice off your tongue," Hiei warned with a glare. "I thought I made myself clear earlier. I am not in the mood for you or your foolish chatter."

He turned back around and trudged onwards, noticing the fear spike within her body. It would keep her quiet for now, and that was enough.

He soon began to hear her sniffling and wondered if she was about to cry. A loudmouth ferry-girl he could put up with; but a crying one? He didn't know the first thing about crying women. He didn't dare turn around in fear of confirming his suspicious. He could hear her footsteps lagging behind as the sniffling became louder and he let out a curse.

"Speak woman," Hiei ordered before turning around to face her.

"What?"

"I'm allowing you to speak to your heart's content. Don't expect me to answer back or add to the conversation, but I will listen."

He watched as her face lit up and she nodded in agreement.

She began to speak but was interrupted by a sneezing fit. When it was over she sniffed once more and then wiped a few stray tears that had fallen.

"I think I may be allergic to one of these forest plants…" she muttered absentmindedly.

"Allergies…" Hiei echoed, unable to believe what just occurred. He could feel his eye beginning to twitch as the irritation welled up within him. He had given her a free pass to speak and it was all because of some damn allergies? He began walking forward, hoping she would live up to her ditzy reputation and forget all about what he had just said.

"Thank you Hiei," Botan said softly. "I know I have a tendency of talking too much and running at the mouth, but I think that's the first time anyone has offered to really listen to what I had to say," she revealed. "It means a lot to me…"

Hiei didn't answer, but he was definitely listening.

"It's almost ironic. You've finally given me the okay to talk and I don't know what to say!"

"Then don't say anything at all," Hiei interjected.

"I suppose I should just be quiet, I mean I don't want to ruin the moment or anything."

She looked over at Hiei and from the corner of his eye he could see her smiling at him. She had that same soft expression on her face, the one that he detested and before he knew it, he was scowling. More than anyone else, he wished she wouldn't look at him like that.

* * *

Thanks so much for the support and reviews. They really do motivate me to get off of my lazy butt and update. When I know you guys are interested, I try harder not to let you all down.


	4. Chapter 4

More Than Anyone Else

"Talking"

_'Thoughts'_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

A/N: Sorry for the delay. Oh and in case I forgot to mention… (like all of my other fics) Hiei is a little bit taller. I'd say he's probably around Yusuke's height, meaning he doesn't necessarily have to be taller than Botan… just around eye level or something.

Chapter 4

* * *

Botan hummed a chipper tune softly to herself as she walked down the hallway. Hiei was a few feet ahead of her, walking in the direction of his room and as she watched him stride down the walkway, she couldn't help but smile.

It may not have meant anything to him, but that one simple gesture filled her heart with warmth. Too often she felt as though the others took her words for granted or made light of what she said, especially in the case of Yusuke or Kuwabara. No one had ever told her that they would listen to her; not the way Hiei said it. Even if he was blunt and admitted that he wouldn't say anything in return, it was all she needed to feel important and significant.

This further cemented her earlier opinions that Hiei wasn't as bad as she originally made him out to be. Granted, he was a bit rough around the edges, he enjoyed scaring the mess out of her, and he could get quite haughty at times, there was another side to him that none of them knew about.

She had seen it on the day they had rescued Yukina. That murderous look in his eyes had frightened her and she was absolutely sure that Hiei would end up killing Tarukane, but Botan was surprised to see Hiei halt mid-punch when Yukina begged him to stop. Seeing the anger that had once been emanating from him vanish completely was enough of a shocker, but what he did next was even more surprising.

It was the way that Hiei looked at Yukina; it was the type of look that Botan had never expected to see from Hiei. His mouth wasn't pressed in its normal scowl or tilted upwards in a menacing smirk, nor were his eyes narrowed in frustration or fury. The indifferent or uncaring nature he usually adapted was gone and for that one moment, he actually looked as though he genuinely cared about the woman standing before him and he would never do anything to upset her. He gazed at her softly and although Botan could not hear him from where she was standing, she could only guess that he wasn't speaking in his customary condescending tone.

Hiei had proved to be a rather enigmatic man and she just couldn't seem to figure him out. Surely he couldn't be as cold-hearted and callous as he claimed.

"Do you plan on standing there all day like a fool?"

Botan's eyes widened and she looked to find Hiei staring back at her from the end of the hall, one of his hands on the door knob of his own room and his injured arm at his side.

She fidgeted nervously before scratching the back of her head and laughing.

"I was just lost in thought!" she explained sheepishly.

Hiei stared back at her and for some reason the way his eyes lingered over hers made her nervous. She never did like uncomfortable silence; it tended to cause unnerving thoughts to creep into her head and she began to wonder if Hiei would use the jagan to see just what had her so preoccupied. Her eyes widened and she gasped. She did not want Hiei to find out that he was the one she was thinking about, so she continued rambling.

"I-It wasn't anything important at all! Don't worry about silly little me!" she added while waving her hand dismissively.

"I wasn't," he responded.

Without bothering to look back at her or say goodbye, he opened the door and entered his room. Botan let out a sigh of relief and put a hand to her forehead.

"Botan!"

The ferry-girl nearly jumped at the sudden noise, only calming down once she realized whose voice it was.

"Oh, it's only you, Keiko!" Botan turned to find Keiko walking towards her. "And you're all alone? You shouldn't be wandering around unattended, especially since everyone on this island detests us."

"Don't worry, I just went downstairs to get some food," Keiko paused for a moment before looking up at Botan. "I could have sworn I saw you and Hiei walking together, though…"

Botan, who was just about to enter the hotel room, stiffened. She and Hiei made it back without any trouble, after Kurama had requested that Hiei accompany her, but she didn't think the fire-demon would be too pleased with her if she announced this fact to the others.

"I-is that so?" she replied with a nervous laugh, refusing to make eye contact with Keiko as she opened their room door.

"Yeah, I thought I was seeing things," Keiko said as she entered the room and closed the door behind her. "It must have been something I ate. I mean, it's practically impossible that you two would willingly be in each other's company."

Botan frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"No offense but from what I can see, Hiei just doesn't seem like the type who would get along with you, or anyone else for that matter," Keiko replied logically.

"That isn't true!" Botan argued. "We are all on the same team, and since I'm the Spirit Detective's assistant and Hiei is working with Yusuke, that practically makes me Hiei's assistant as well! He has no choice but to get along with me!"

"Professionally, maybe," Keiko commented. "But you two don't seem like the type who would take a nice stroll in the park together, if you know what I mean."

"No, I don't know what you mean; Hiei is a perfectly nice guy and we get along just fine," Botan said stubbornly, turning her nose up in the air.

"That's a good one," Shizuru countered as she strolled out of the bathroom, toweling her damp hair.

Botan faltered for a moment, before turning to Shizuru with a pout.

"You too, Shizuru?"

Shizuru nodded.

"Sorry, but Keiko's got a point."

Botan let out a sigh. She didn't know why she was so adamant in proving that she and Hiei could get along, but once she was worked up, she had a hard time calming herself down.

"Alright, if he's such a swell guy, name one nice thing he's done," Shizuru suggested, taking note of Botan's persistence.

"Let's see, there was the time he aided us in the mission at Maze Castle, and saved the human world!" she said excitedly before pausing. "…Although he only did that to lessen his sentence and get a reprieve for stealing the artifacts, kidnapping Keiko, and attempting to create a demon army."

Upon hearing this, Keiko crossed her arms.

"Then, he selflessly joined in on the mission to rescue Yukina from her captors, but in doing so, he went against Lord Koenma's orders and almost ended up murdering Tarukane!"

Shizuru looked on as the girl continued to ramble on and tie herself up.

"Oh and we can't forget how he valiantly saved me the other night," Botan replied while pointing her index finger in the air. A moment later she frowned, her proud stance deflating by the second. "But he did threaten me after, and he only helped me because he had no other choice…"

She looked over to the two girls with a sheepish grin.

"What was my original point, again?"

"You were trying to prove that Hiei is a decent guy and that you two can get along," Keiko answered with an amused smile.

"Oh… that's right," Botan replied. She thought for a moment before jumping up with an excited expression. "Hiei walked me back to the hotel this afternoon!"

Keiko's eyes widened upon hearing this fact.

"So I wasn't just seeing things! Why didn't you just say so in the first place?"

"I-it just slipped my mind!" Botan mumbled nervously. She decided it would be a good idea to leave out the fact that she was afraid Hiei would threaten her again, should she tell anyone. She also decided to leave out the part where Kurama had to coerce Hiei into taking her back to the hotel.

"Well, isn't that something," Shizuru muttered.

Botan puffed out her chest proudly.

"Yes, and it wasn't a short distance, either. It was from the depths of the forest all the way back to the hotel!"

"Seriously?" Keiko questioned incredulously. "He didn't leave you behind or threaten you again?"

Botan shook her head, her ponytail bouncing with each sway.

"He was a perfect gentleman, and he even told me I could talk as much as I wanted and he said he would listen!"

"You sure you weren't dreaming again?" Shizuru asked skeptically.

"Positive!"

"Well, that was unexpected…" Keiko muttered.

"Yes, very. I was so shocked, I couldn't even think of anything to say!" Botan confessed.

"Wait a minute, so let me get this straight," Shizuru paused. "Hiei said you could talk about whatever you wanted, for as long as you wanted, and you blanked?"

Botan nodded guiltily.

"Way to waste a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Shizuru muttered.

Botan sighed.

"I know."

"Well, you can't blame her; it is pretty unbelievable. If Hiei told me the same thing, I honestly don't know what I would say," Keiko admitted. "I don't even think I'd be able to say anything to him at all…"

"Speaking of which, you haven't said an awful lot to Yusuke ever since the tournament started," Botan said deviously. "Did you two have a lover's spat?"

Keiko shot the ferry-girl a confused look, before shaking her head.

"No."

"Then why are you giving him the silent treatment?" Botan questioned.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Keiko replied stubbornly. "I just want him to focus on winning, that's all."

"Oh come on! We've been on this island for two days now, and you've hardly said a word to the boy! I'm sure he'll be happy if you talk to him," Botan admonished before grinning deviously. "And if you're shy, you can always write him a love letter, instead!"

Keiko blushed furiously.

"I'm not shy! And I don't need to write a silly love-letter, either!"

"Botan, you just don't know when to quit," Shizuru teased as she rummaged through her belongings, smirking when she found her pack of cigarettes.

The ferry-girl walked over to the nightstand and picked up a pen and a small notepad, a mischievous grin adorning her face.

"You know you want to!" she teased.

Keiko glared up at Botan, her arms crossed and her mouth pressed in a tight line.

"If you don't give in, I'm sure we'll never hear the end of it," Shizuru advised from across the room. She opened up the window and lit her cigarette before giving Keiko a sympathetic glance. "I have a feeling Botan can nag you all night, if necessary."

"Fine," Keiko grumbled as she all but snatched the items from Botan's outstretched hands.

"That a girl!" Botan cheered as she clapped her hands together in delight.

She watched as Keiko sat down on the bed and for a few seconds seemed to be contemplating what exactly she should write on the paper. The room was silent as Keiko suddenly began scribbling all over the page.

_'Another job well done,'_ Botan thought to herself as she watched the brunette concentrating on her note. She was just about to turn around to give Keiko some privacy, when Keiko announced that she was finished. It was an awfully short love letter if she had finished so soon, Botan concluded as she looked down at the girl.

"Here it is," Keiko said as she waved it in front of Botan's face.

"Botan loves Hiei," Botan read aloud slowly. Her face took on a range of emotions as the words sunk in and she let out a shriek. "What?"

"If I have something to say to Yusuke, I'll tell him, but as of right now, I just don't want to distract him," Keiko said seriously before breaking out into a grin. "Maybe you should take your own advice. Would you like me to deliver this one personally?"

"That isn't funny Keiko!"

"Actually, it kind of is," Shizuru interjected after taking a drag from her cigarette.

"Oh, you be quiet!" Botan huffed.

"See, it isn't very fun to meddle in people's affairs, now is it, Botan?" Keiko reprimanded.

"Okay, okay, I get it. Now give me that paper so I can dispose of it!" Botan pleaded.

"Maybe I should let Hiei have a little peek," Keiko joked.

"You wouldn't dare!" Botan huffed.

Keiko's smile said otherwise as she stared at her masterpiece.

Botan scrambled to get the note from Keiko's grasp, and Keiko made a dash towards the opposite end of the room. She was much shorter than Botan and was disadvantaged by her height, so without giving it much thought, she decided to toss the note to Shizuru.

"Shizuru, catch it!"

Shizuru, who was more engrossed in her cigarette than their little squabble, wasn't paying attention, and by the time she looked over to the girls, it was already too late. The note flew right out of the window, and all three girls watched in horror as the paper hit Hiei's head on its downward descent.

"Don't pick it up, don't pick it up…" Botan chanted as she watched Hiei look down at the note on the grass. Slowly, he bent down and picked it up, before opening it up and reading it.

In those few seconds Botan felt her heart pounding out of her chest. She watched as his face contorted and in the next moment he quickly incinerated the offending piece of paper.

Yusuke and the others glanced at him curiously after Kuwabara had pointed to Hiei, but Hiei wordlessly turned his glare to the window. All three girls ducked, hoping he didn't catch them, while Botan pulled a frown at Keiko.

"Look at what you did!" she whispered accusingly. "Now Hiei's going to think I'm in love with him!"

"I'm sorry," Keiko defended. "But really, it's not all my fault when _someone_," she paused to glance purposely over at Shizuru, "was supposed to catch it!"

Shizuru shrugged in return, placing a hand on Botan's shoulder.

"At least you don't ever have to worry about Hiei falling in love with you. The look on his face as he read the note was priceless."

"You both are missing the point entirely!" Botan huffed from her crouched position.

"Don't worry, Botan," Keiko consoled. "I'm sure he is smart enough to realize you weren't the one who wrote it."

"I hope so…"

* * *

Hiei rolled his eyes, not bothering to look at the others as they continued to argue amongst themselves. After separating from the ferry-girl he thought his troubles for the day would be over, but the moment he settled into the room, the fox had opened up a telepathic conversation, urging Hiei to meet the others outside of the hotel for a team-meeting. Why they couldn't hold a meeting within the confines of the room was beyond him, and when he questioned Kurama about it, the fox had only replied that Yusuke was under the impression that the room could be bugged. Although Kurama had already assured Yusuke that it wasn't, the detective was adamant and Kurama had lost the will to argue with him. Hiei couldn't blame him; he had long learned not to question the logic behind human fools, so without any further thought he made his way out of the hotel.

Their impromptu meeting turned out to be futile and ineffective and Hiei was growing tired of Yusuke's and Kuwabara's immature arguing. He let his thoughts wander and in that brief moment an image of the ferry-girl flashed in his head. She was giving him one of those looks that he hated. This one wasn't laced with concern like the previous ones, but it was still enveloped in that suffocating warmth that she seemed to radiate. He recognized it as the look she gave him earlier today, when he foolishly declared that he would listen to whatever it was she had to say.

She was smiling so brightly he couldn't bear to watch her and the way her amethyst eyes happily lingered on his was unnerving. He couldn't stand it. She looked at him as though he had done her the greatest justice in the world, when in reality he hardly did anything at all. It was only then that he was aware of how many instances the two of them had ended up meeting in such a short span of time. It seemed that wherever he was, she would show up and his earlier conclusions about her being a troublesome woman were starting to become his reality.

He would have to do a better job of distancing himself; he didn't need any more unwanted distractions. His train of thought was interrupted as something hit him on the head and landed on the grass. After inspecting it, he realized it was a piece of paper. He suspected that it might be from an opponent in an upcoming match, so he picked it up and prepared for worthless threats or warnings, but was wholly surprised when he read the note.

'Botan loves Hiei.'

_'What the f—'_

"Hey, what's that, shorty?" Kuwabara taunted as he caught sight of Hiei. "Is it a letter from your demon girlfriend or something?"

Soon enough all eyes were on him and he glared at Kuwabara, before burning the offending piece of paper, thereby preventing any of the others from seeing what was written. He then turned his gaze to the window the paper must have flown out from, recognizing it as the same room the girls shared. He was positive that the annoying woman who was always bothering him was named Botan, and he wondered just what kind of a stunt she was trying to pull.

"Well that's not nice, you could at least share with the class," Yusuke mocked.

"It's none of your business," Hiei shot back unfazed by their taunting. "More importantly, you had better start to say something of importance, detective. I'm growing tired of listening to you and the oaf babble on about nothing."

"Okay, relax," Yusuke relented as he put his arms up in defeat. "A little masked birdie told me that one of our members was seriously screwed. The three of us are fine," Yusuke said as he motioned towards the masked fighter, Kuwabara, and himself. "…but I'm not too sure about you or Kurama."

Kuwabara nodded.

"My bet's on shorty. He seems like the type who would keep this a secret from the rest of us."

"Kurama, you got cut up pretty badly," Yusuke added. "There's gotta be a doctor somewhere around here."

"I'm fine, I assure you," Kurama said as he looked over at Hiei, who rolled his eyes upon meeting the fox's cautious gaze.

"Hn, if that's all this meeting was about then I'm leaving," Hiei declared as he turned around and prepared to walk off.

He stopped in his tracks when Yusuke pulled his injured hand out of his pocket, unable to suppress the groan from passing his lips as the detective gripped his arm.

"Well, I'm no doctor, but I think we found our injury," Yusuke said cheekily.

Kuwabara crossed his arms.

"I told you it'd probably be him."

"Let go of me," Hiei ordered as he pulled his arm out of Yusuke's grasp, wincing at the sudden movement, before concealing it back inside his pocket.

"So you're injured, no big deal," Yusuke shrugged. "I'm sure a doctor can patch you right back up."

Kurama shook his head gravely as his emerald eyes lingered over Hiei's bandaged arm.

"This isn't just a normal injury. The darkness technique left Hiei's arm crippled."

"You can always go to Botan," Kuwabara offered. "She has this pretty neat healing thing that she does. Maybe that would work?"

Once again, Kurama shook his head.

"Even Botan's white magic abilities cannot undo the damage of the dragon."

All eyes were on Hiei again and he scowled. This was exactly why he had intended on keeping his injury a secret. He couldn't take all of the concern and questions directed his way. He was a warrior and injuries like this were to be expected in a tournament such as this one, but they all seemed to overlook this glaring fact.

"This is nothing. Even without the use of my dominant arm, I am still capable of defeating any opponent," he asserted before turning to Kuwabara. "We should be focusing on strengthening the weak-link, instead."

Kuwabara balled his fists and glared at Hiei.

"I am not the weakest-link!"

"Actually, you kind of are," Yusuke interjected smugly.

"Shut up, Urameshi!"

The two began to fight and Hiei turned away from the scene. He never made it a habit to associate with rowdy and immature company and he couldn't wait for the day he would no longer be affiliated with Spirit World.

"Perhaps you should take Yusuke's advice," Kurama advised, ignoring the two boys and their squabbles directly behind him. "Between Botan and myself, I'm sure we can do something to at least ease the pain."

"I'm fine," Hiei said through clenched teeth.

"Instead of putting on a brave front and disregarding everyone's warnings, you should really take in the gravity of the situation," the masked fighter interrupted quietly. "Fighting with an injury of this magnitude would be foolish and could get you killed."

"I know my limits," Hiei spat, fed up with all of their pestering. "Now leave me be."

"Very well, then. As long as you are sure you can manage," the masked fighter relented.

Hiei nodded, before turning to the hotel, intent on leaving this useless meeting.

"Hiei, wait!" Yusuke called out.

Hiei turned around to find Yusuke giving Kuwabara a choke hold, while the latter tried his best to escape.

"Call me crazy, but I actually believe the little guy. Hiei's tough, and if he says he can manage to fight in the next round, then that's what he'll do. Do we all agree?"

Hiei watched as both Kurama and the masked fighter nodded slowly. Kuwabara, who was still under Yusuke's grip was still spluttering nonsense and wriggling his body pathetically as he tried to break free from Yusuke.

"Alright, then let's kick some demon ass tomorrow!" Yusuke cheered, finally releasing Kuwabara.

"Yeah, I'll show you all that I'm the most dependable one on the team!" Kuwabara declared, puffing out his chest proudly.

"…more like expendable," Hiei muttered.

"You little…"

Kuwabara had tried to land a punch on Hiei, but the demon had easily side stepped Kuwabara, leaving him to fumble around while attempting to regain his footing.

Rather than stand there watching Kuwabara make a fool of himself, Hiei took the opportunity to walk off ahead of the others. Once Kuwabara noticed this, he ran off behind Hiei, shouting insults and the like.

"Is it weird that those two are starting to look like an old married couple?" Yusuke asked suddenly.

"They fight like one," Kurama noted with an amused smile.

"Hey lovebirds," Yusuke called out in between chuckles. "Wait for me!"

Yusuke ran up to Kuwabara and Hiei, and after some further taunting from Yusuke, Kuwabara turned his attention to the detective. The duo began to argue as usual, while Kurama watched the scene through amused eyes.

"Some things never change," Kurama noted as he shook his head, trailing behind the masked fighter.

* * *

"Some things never change," Keiko realized as she watched Yusuke from the slightly ajar bathroom door.

The others turned to her questioningly and she continued.

"I thought facing something as dangerous as demons and apparitions would change Yusuke completely," she paused with a warm smile. "Yet here is, fussing over his hair to make sure he still looks like a juvenile delinquent."

"Urameshi will always be Urameshi," Kuwabara declared.

Keiko nodded.

"Yeah, and he could take all day if he wanted to," the brunette reasoned as she sat down next to Kuwabara. "We might as well make ourselves comfortable."

Shizuru shrugged before following suit and sitting down next to the masked fighter.

Botan, however, would not settle down. It was the start of the second round of the Dark Tournament and all morning she could not shake the anxious feeling that something was not right. She walked over to the bathroom and stopped in the threshold before crossing her arms.

"Come on, Yusuke, we're already running late because of you!" Botan exclaimed.

"Give me a minute," he answered, not bothering to look back at her.

Botan tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Yusuke. She looked around the room in hopes of finding something that would distract her from Yusuke and his insistence on being tardy, when she finally noticed that two of their members were missing.

"Where are Hiei and Kurama?"

"They're big boys Botan, I'm sure they'll show up in the ring on time," Yusuke claimed with a shrug as he paused from gelling his hair.

"They might already be at the stadium," the masked fighter offered, shooting a warning glance in Yusuke's direction. "Which is where we should have been ten minutes ago."

"Alright, I'm ready, I'm ready," he said defensively as he finished fixing his hair. "Perfection takes time you know," he muttered under his breath while Kuwabara just shook his head and proceeded to walk into the hallway.

"Yes, those two are probably so eager to get started that they arrived early," Botan said, if only to reassure herself.

Her eyes lingered on their empty beds and try as she might, she couldn't get rid of the sinking suspicion that something was not right. She didn't have much time to dwell on the thought, though, as Yusuke took hold of her arm.

"Hey!" she cried in alarm.

"Come on," Yusuke urged as he dragged the hesitant girl out of the room.

* * *

"We must be cautious," Kurama warned.

Hiei ignored him completely as he glared at the demon before them and unconsciously tightened his grip on his sword.

They were being ambushed by two members of the Ichigaki team and their playthings. They had long destroyed one of the lower-class demons, but the robotic creatures the second demon had called out were proving to be a bit more troublesome.

"These were crafted from the strongest metal the doctor can find," the demon declared smugly. "You won't be able to break it with your sword."

Hiei, who had grown tired of the remaining demon's gloating, went in for the kill. His attack would have connected, had it not been for the robot diverting his attack, sending him spiraling downward. He cursed as he landed on his crippled arm. It had taken the brunt of the fall and in that brief moment when the excruciating pain overwhelmed him he was left open; unguarded to the enemy's attack. The robot pinned him against a large tree and began to slowly tighten its hold on Hiei's body.

He was unable to move against the tight grip of the robot and could not escape. He would surely be crushed at this rate and when all hope seemed lost, the second robot came crashing into the first, breaking its hold on Hiei and allowing him to escape. Hiei looked ahead of him to see Kurama standing there with his rose whip in hand. He had lured the second robot into the first, thereby saving Hiei.

Using the enemy's moment of confusion to his advantage, Hiei leaped up from his position and flashed over to the remaining demon. He knocked him out, deciding it would be best to leave him alive for questioning. They needed to get to the bottom of Dr. Ichigaki's schemes and Hiei had a feeling this demon held valuable information.

Hiei then turned to Kurama, who was inspecting the robotic creatures.

"You didn't have to do that," he said suddenly and Kurama turned towards him.

"I'm not sure I follow," Kurama began, but when he caught sight of Hiei's glare, it all came together and he shook his head. "I would think by now you would accept help from an old friend, especially in situations such as these."

"Help is for the weak and I did not need you to come to my rescue."

"So you would have rather been crushed, then?" Kurama asked somewhat amused by the younger demon's reluctance to accept any form of help from others.

Hiei crossed his arms and looked away from Kurama.

"I don't like it, but it can't be helped," he said as he sheathed his sword. "I am in your debt."

Kurama had always known that Hiei followed his own honor code, but hearing his friend so blatantly state something like this was new.

"There is really no need for that, I'm sure you would have done the same for me," he replied solemnly after the initial shock wore off.

"Don't be too sure about that," Hiei muttered under his breath.

"You never change," Kurama said as he shook his head knowingly. "In any case we better get back to the battle stadium. If they sent these two just to divert us, who knows what tricks they might be using against Yusuke and the others."

The two sped off in search of finding more answers. Hiei removed his bandana and the jagan eye opened. It began to glow as he focused on the person who he would target.

He decided it would be best to see things through the eyes of someone who wasn't currently engaged in battle, in case they become aware of the connection and became distracted. Kuwabara had a high spiritual awareness, Hiei knew nothing about the masked fighter's abilities, and Yusuke was so unpredictable that Hiei wouldn't be surprised if the detective became conscious of him poking around in his thoughts. The only option left was Botan, who he was sure had her eyes glued to the ensuing fight.

When he entered her mind he was surprised to hear that she was thinking about using her splintered oar to find Kurama and himself. He realized that saving her the other night might have been the most futile thing he had ever done. She seemed to love hurling herself amidst danger.

* * *

"This is horrible!" Botan huffed under her breath as she watched the battle. From the beginning it had been filled with unexpected events, most of all the unmasking of the masked fighter. They had all assumed it was Genkai, but they were sorely mistaken when they were greeted with the sight of a young woman with pink hair and chocolate-colored eyes.

Botan didn't even have time to dwell on her thoughts of how happy she was to have another girl on the team, when the human boys on the Ichigaki team began to attack the Urameshi team. She could hardly believe how strong they were, and with Yusuke's spirit gun acting up, they were at a serious disadvantage. Not to mention the fact that both Kurama and Hiei were nowhere in sight.

"That's it, as trainer, it's my duty to make sure the team is together. I bet I could find them if I just used my oar," she said to herself as she contemplated the idea in her mind. She briefly remembered Hiei telling her not to use it on an island full of demons, but the team's success was on the line here. And if they failed, they would all be killed, anyway! She had to do something.

_'I'll do it,'_ she thought as she turned from the ring. _'Everyone's attention will be on the ring anyway, I'm sure no one will spot me! It'll be a piece of cake! I'm so-'_

'_-stupid,'_ a voice interrupted. _'There's no need for any of that.'_

"Hiei?" she questioned, looking around the stadium, before realizing he was talking to her telepathically.

She didn't get a verbal response, but her soon realized why when she turned to see both Hiei and Kurama crashing through the stadium, accompanied by two large robots.

"It's about damn time you two showed up," Yusuke said as he breathed heavily, the strain on his body evident.

"Forgive us for the delay," Kurama apologized humbly. "We got caught up."

He motioned to the two large machines behind them.

As Kurama began to explain Doctor Ichigaki's schemes, Botan's heart broke. He was using the boys as human puppets in order to satisfy his schemes and quest for knowledge. They had agreed to work under him in order to cure their master's illness, completely oblivious to the plans the doctor had for them. She could hardly believe they were fighting against a team with such a tragic story.

"He's despicable," Botan muttered as she watched the doctor laugh raucously after hearing the accounts of his misdeeds.

"Yes and there is only one punishment fit for a low-life fool like him," Hiei replied.

Kurama nodded without a word, agreeing fully.

They both looked towards the ring, Hiei and Kurama unable to enter the battle due to the conditions set beforehand.

"There is a way to save those boys, isn't there?" she asked hopefully, turning to the two demons.

"I'm afraid death is the only release for them now," Kurama admitted woefully.

"It's horrible," she lamented with a frown.

"It's better than being a prisoner in your own body," Hiei countered. "This is the best course of action."

"I just wish there was something more we could do," Botan said and Kurama nodded.

"My only regret is that I couldn't be in the ring to give that Ichigaki bastard what he deserves," Hiei sneered.

Botan could see from the corner of her eyes that he was clenching his fists tightly and restraining himself, and it was then that she realized he must be a lot more caring than he let on if he was getting so worked up, and over humans, no less.

"…What are you gawking at?" Hiei interrupted. She was staring at him again in that strange way and he began to wonder if she even realized she was doing it at this point.

The ferry-girl broke out of her reverie and looked back at him nervously.

"I-"

She was interrupted as Kuwabara came crashing down beside them, his body beaten and battered.

"Oh no, Kuwabara are you alright?" Botan asked as she leaned over him, her eyes wide and filled with worry.

"I'm fine, Botan, don't worry about me," he replied in a strangled voice. "Just don't let Urameshi kill them, they're still good inside. I know it."

"Don't worry, I'm sure Yusuke has more sense than—what in the world is he doing?" Botan shrieked as she watched Yusuke point his index finger towards the boys. "I-I thought he couldn't use his spirit gun?"

"His spirit energy is linked closely with his emotions, this round was just what Yusuke needed to push past his uncertainties and allow him to fight at his full potential," Kurama commented.

"Yes, well, that's all well and good, but he doesn't seriously intend to kill them, does he?" she asked.

"What choice does he have?" Hiei answered indifferently. "At least in death they will be free from the doctor."

Kuwabara shook his head, closing his eyes tightly.

"No! We can't let it end this way."

"Look, Kuwabara!" Botan gasped as she pointed over to the ring.

The masked fighter had interrupted Yusuke's spirit gun, and she began to harness her own technique in the palm of her hands. She chanted in a strange language that Botan could not understand, before shooting the energy outwards and directing it towards the three humans.

They all watched in silence as the boys got hit point blank with the attack. The force of the blast had caused them to fly backwards, before their bodies hurtled down onto the ring. They lay motionless and Botan could only wonder if they would survive through an a point-blank attack.

"…Are they dead?" Kuwabara asked after witnessing them get hit with the blast.

"I-I don't know," Botan replied, gaping at the scene.

"They are not."

The two looked over to Hiei, waiting for him to explain, but he just stood there with his apathetic gaze cast on the ring. When it became obvious that he wasn't going to say anything more, they turned their attention to Kurama, instead.

"The technique was intended to only kill the evil within them. If the boys are inherently good, then they will live," he explained.

They all looked on as slowly, but surely, each boy stood up. The apparatus that was once controlling them had vanished with the attack.

"Yes, she did it!" Botan cheered as she jumped up from Kuwabara's side and ran over to the ring. "That was simply splendid," Botan told the masked fighter.

"I didn't do anything; it was the boys' pure hearts that freed them."

The masked fighter turned to watch as the boys left the ring and reunited with their master, while Botan smiled. Their attention was quickly diverted as Yusuke walked up to the doctor.

"You know you're not leaving here alive," he threatened.

Ichigaki tried to flee the scene, but Hiei appeared in front of him.

"Don't embarrass yourself."

The doctor stopped in his tracks; his smug grin hadn't faded and Yusuke shot him a confused look. He started cackling and muttering to himself and they all began to wonder if he had gone insane.

"Did you really think I would experiment with body manipulation and not save some for myself?" Ichigaki said as he pulled out a large needle. "Now watch and witness just how great my experiments are."

He injected himself with the serum and his body started to transform.

"…Oh dear," Botan muttered as he began to double in size.

Hiei unsheathed his sword with a smirk; the possibility of the doctor getting stronger had apparently spurred him on. He would have attacked, had it not been for Yusuke's interruption.

"I know you're itching to wipe that smirk off of his ugly face, but let me handle this one," Yusuke requested, his gaze never once leaving Ichigaki's form.

Hiei watched Yusuke for a moment; the boy was clearly more involved in this fight than he let on and it had become somewhat of a personal battle for him. Hiei decided he would give this fight to the detective as he placed his sword in its sheath.

"Fine," he conceded with a smirk. "Just don't get yourself killed."

"You know I won't," Yusuke answered back with a smirk of his own.

Hiei jumped out of the ring and landed near Botan. He fixed his eyes on the ring and watched intently as Yusuke and Ichigaki fought blow for blow. He was pleasantly surprised that the doctor could gain such strength from nothing more than his own experiments, but Hiei was confident in Yusuke's strength and knew he would win in the end.

He surveyed the condition of the team and smirked. This round was surprisingly reminiscent of the last; Kuwabara was left in the same weak and pathetic condition and Yusuke was taking on the last opponent. Both he and the ferry girl were standing in their same positions as well, while Kurama and the masked fighter remained off to the side. He probably should have distanced himself from the woman, but it seemed luck was on his side, because she hadn't said a word to him yet.

"That was very kind of you, Hiei."

He mentally cursed his luck; he should have known this would happen.

"What are you talking about?"

"The way you rushed in to avenge the boys," she explained.

Hiei shot her a confused look.

"You jumped into the ring, ready to fight the doctor even after he became horribly large and menacing," Botan clarified.

"I didn't do it for them," Hiei insisted quickly. "That bastard had his lackeys ambush Kurama and I; I was merely returning the favor."

Botan shook her head at him.

"You can dress it up anyway you like, but I'm not buying it."

"You are jumping to ridiculous conclusions," Hiei countered. "Although, I wouldn't expect anything less from a being of your intelligence."

"They are not ridiculous conclusions, they are my honest observations!" she shot back.

"Honest observations?" he mocked. "Listen well, because I don't plan on wasting any more of my time on you: I'm not kind, nor will I ever be, so stop trying to dignify my actions."

"Okay, I believe you," she said unconvincingly a small smile tugging at her lips.

"I mean it," he growled out.

"Whatever you say, Hiei."

"Woman…" he snarled as he advanced on her.

Botan's eyes widened in fear and she stepped back in order to distance herself from Hiei. She knew she couldn't outrun him and that menacing scowl he wore only cemented her conclusion that things would not end well for her.

Before she knew it she felt his hand on her and she flinched. She could feel herself being moved and when she opened her eyes again, she noticed a portion of the stadium had landed where she previously stood. She looked at Hiei whose uninjured hand was still wrapped around her waist, but his focus was on the ring.

She could only conclude that in the middle of his death-threats, Hiei sensed the impending danger, and rather than simply moving himself out of harm's way, he chose to help her as well.

He had saved her, yet again, and she was unable to stop the feeling of gratitude that welled up within her.

When Hiei looked back at her, he realized what he had done and quickly released her.

"Don't mistake this for something it isn't," he warned. "It was just instinct."

Botan's smile widened at his confession.

"The instinct to save you so I can be the one to kill you when this is all over," he clarified.

The smile was quickly erased and replaced with a look of complete and utter shock.

Hiei smirked.

* * *

"I'd say that fight went well," Yusuke said.

"Yeah, we freed the guys, found their master, and got rid of that Ichigaki creep," Kuwabara added from his position on the ground, too weak to even stand up.

"Plus, we got a glimpse beneath the masked fighter's mask!" Botan exclaimed. "Who knew she would turn out to be a girl? And she's cute, too!"

Yusuke snorted as he looked back at the masked fighter who was still in the ring, conversing with the students and their master.

"It's not the appearance that matters, this isn't a beauty pageant," the detective said.

"I know that," Botan pouted until a thought sprung into her head and she began smiling deviously. "Hey, a cute, but strong fighter, good personality, and miniature sized to boot! She is the perfect match for you, Hiei!"

Hiei shot her a glare and she shrunk back.

"It was just a suggestion," she said lamely.

"Yeah, she was just trying to help you out, shorty. But judging by your reaction, I'd guess you were on the other side of the fence," Kuwabara said. "I bet I'm right, aren't I?"

Hiei merely turned his back on the rest of the group and crossed his arms.

"I know you can hear me!" Kuwabara shouted.

"Hey… you do like girls, don't you Hiei?" Yusuke asked a bit hesitant on approaching the whole matter.

"What do you think, detective?" Hiei asked, clearly annoyed with the nature of the conversation.

"I don't know," Yusuke said lamely as he scratched the back of his head. "You're always so secretive and stuff. Hell, maybe you and Kurama have something going on behind the scenes that none of us know about!"

"Yusuke!" Botan admonished. "That's a very bold thing to say!"

"Can you blame me? I mean, what do we really know about Hiei, anyway?"

Botan paused to think. She honestly knew nothing about him and for all she knew, she could have just offended him by pairing him with the masked fighter. She had never really seen him take interest in a female before, but then again, this was the first time they had ever been together on an assignment.

"Well…"

"I assure you, nothing of the sort is going on between Hiei and myself. We both like women," Kurama interjected before Botan could make a conclusion.

"Geez, so why didn't you just say so in the first place, Hiei?" Yusuke asked.

"Because I have no need to explain myself to the likes of you, the oaf, or that ditzy fool," Hiei countered.

Botan pouted.

"There's no need for name-calling, I was simply trying to be friendly! Maybe a nice girl is what you need to keep you from being so grumpy and antisocial all the time!" she responded.

"And I suppose you think that girl should be you?" Hiei reasoned.

All eyes turned to Botan and she stared back at him with wide eyes, completely shocked by Hiei's response.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"That foolish declaration you hurled down at me earlier."

She gasped her eyes wide in horror.

"Oh no… you still remember that?"

"Still remember what?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yeah what are you two talking about?" Yusuke added.

"Oh nothing, nothing at all. Don't worry yourselves!" Botan said sweetly as she turned to Hiei and began whispering furiously. "Hiei, it was a joke. I wasn't even the one who wrote it!"

"The note from before," Hiei started, completely ignoring Botan.

"Go on," Yusuke urged and Kuwabara nodded. They were both eager to hear what was written on the note that Hiei destroyed earlier.

"It was a short sentence about the ferry-girl's affections for a certain member of this team."

"Hiei!"

"It was probably Kurama, wasn't it?" Yusuke guessed.

Hiei shook his head.

"Yusuke?" Kuwabara asked hesitantly.

Once again, Hiei shook his head.

"Kuwabara?" Yusuke questioned incredulously as he pointed to his orange-haired friend.

This time Hiei snorted and shot a condescending look at Kuwabara before shaking his head in response.

"Botan, you're a lesbian?" Yusuke asked, concluding that she liked the masked fighter.

"No!"

"Well if it's not me, or Urameshi, or Kurama, or the masked fighter, then that only leaves Hiei and we all know that can't be true. Shorty's just pulling our legs… so which one of us is it?" Kuwabara wondered.

"I'm with you on that one, Kuwabara," Yusuke agreed.

Hiei merely rolled his eyes at their stupidity.

Botan hoped the two of them would go on never knowing whose name was written on that note and she honestly believed they would go on aimlessly without ever figuring it out, that is until Kurama cut in.

"It was Hiei, wasn't it?" he said after looking at the guilty pair.

"Why must you always be so intuitive?" Botan whined.

"So it was Hiei, huh? Well, that's pretty weird," Kuwabara muttered.

"I wasn't even the one who wrote it, Keiko was!" Botan explained, trying to salvage the situation.

"Keiko's in love with Hiei?" Yusuke yelled incredulously, a horrified expression on his face.

"No, no, no, you've got it all wrong! Keiko just wrote that to get back at me for urging her to write a love letter for you! And when I tried to get it from her, she threw it to Shizuru, but Shizuru didn't catch it, and the note fell right out of the window and landed next to Hiei, who picked it up, read it, and burned it! I didn't expect that he would tell any of you, though!" she finished slightly out of breath.

"This all stemmed from your incessant need to meddle in the affairs of others," Hiei countered. "Take this as a lesson, woman."

"I'm not meddling," Botan replied honestly. She was just kidding around at first, but maybe the masked fighter would complement Hiei's personality well. They both enjoyed fighting, they were both serious, and they were both strong. Was it so wrong of her to suggest it? "I was just…" she trailed off looking for the appropriate word. "…helping!"

"I don't need your help, least of all of that nature," he declared.

"Well, excuse me for caring!"

Hiei's eyes widened slightly at her confession and she felt a hot blush creep its way on her face.

She didn't know why she even said that in the first place, it just came out. Since when had she started caring for Hiei? They were allies and she supposed she didn't want any harm to come his way, but they were a far shot away from friends or anything of that nature. Perhaps he wouldn't take it the wrong way.

After a few moments of tense silence, Hiei spoke up.

"I don't need you or anyone else to," he paused, seemingly searching for the right words to say. "…be concerned with me or any of my affairs. It would do you well to remember that."

"I know how you feel," Botan relented. "But everyone needs some sort of-"

"Stop," he ordered as he turned from her. "I don't need any of it."

Botan just stood there watching him with a hint of sadness on her features. There was obviously more to Hiei than he let on. He wasn't as coldhearted and aloof as he believed he was and he cared a lot more than he let on. She had witnessed it before, but the one thing she couldn't figure out was why he constantly resorted to slipping that mask of indifference and callousness on. More than anyone else, she wished he would just—

"May I have your attention, please; the third round of the tournament will begin now. Team Urameshi and Team Masho, please report to the ring."

"What?"

* * *

The scene where Keiko wrote the love note about Hiei/Botan was inspired by the time I went to Atlantic City with some friends and I was the silly one writing stuff on the notepad that was on the nightstand.

Hey, they're girls and ridiculous stuff is bound to happen when the three of them are cooped up in one room, right? That's my explanation for that scene, and I'm sticking too it! Haha.

Lastly, let me know what you thought! Reviews are the best thing an author can ever get! If you have any suggestions, thoughts, etc., let me know! Well, I guess that's all. Sorry for the wait! I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

More Than Anyone Else

"Talking"

_'Thoughts'_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 5

* * *

"Due to the continuous fighting of the Urameshi Team, an examination will be held in the medical tent to determine each team members' eligibility for participating in the upcoming round," the voice on the loudspeaker echoed.

"So now they choose to give a damn? Better late than never," Yusuke grumbled.

"Yusuke, something isn't right," Botan said, her voice wavering with uncertainty as she looked over at him with a frown.

"Don't worry so much, Botan," he answered, waving his hand dismissively. "Let's just get this over with. Help me with him, would you?"

Botan nodded.

"Come on big guy," Yusuke said as he hoisted Kuwabara up onto his feet.

"Urameshi, I-" Kuwabara began but Yusuke put up a hand to silence him.

"If you apologize to me, I swear I'll kick your ass," Yusuke said seriously. "You did nothing worth apologizing for."

"Yes, Kuwabara, Yusuke's absolutely right!" Botan chimed in. "If it weren't for you, those boys would probably be dead right now!"

"But I…" Kuwabara started.

"You did what you felt was right, and I can understand that," the spirit detective reasoned. "You just rest, we'll handle this round."

Kuwabara looked down at the ground and sniffed before nodding.

"Right."

Botan and Yusuke both stood on the opposite sides of their injured friend; his arms over their shoulders. Kuwabara had made sure he leaned towards Yusuke's side most of the time, not wanting to crush the poor ferry-girl. She had a firm grip on his arm that was slugged over her shoulder and slowly but surely the trio made their way towards the tent.

"Be on your guard," Kurama told Hiei.

Hiei nodded and wordlessly walked over to the tent. Upon entering he subconsciously put his injured hand in his pocket, as if concealing it would make the problem go away. He scowled as he looked around, muttering something about how pointless this was.

The masked fighter was the last to join the group that stood beneath the white tent. She had still insisted on covering her face, as she adjusted the remains of her mask securely on her head.

"Well, this might not be so bad after all," Botan said, breaking the silence. She clapped her hands together and smiled brightly. "Maybe the doctor will be able to patch you all right up, and you'll be in tip-top form!"

"Yeah or maybe he'll turn out to be just like that creep Ichigaki," Kuwabara commented gravely.

The ferry-girl's grin was erased immediately and replaced with a frown.

"You don't think they will actually send someone like him, do you?" she asked nervously.

"I doubt the committee will go that far," Kurama replied.

"Oh alright, if you're not worried then neither am I," Botan conceded. "Maybe the medical team will actually be to our benefit."

"As long as they don't grab my balls and make me cough," Yusuke said with a snort.

At that moment a woman voluptuous woman walked in, wearing what barely passed as a nurse's uniform.

"Scratch that…" Yusuke muttered under his breath.

There was a quick moment of silence as each member of the team looked the nurse over, lost in their own thoughts.

_'Hello, nurse.'_

_'Wow, she's pretty, but not as pretty as my Yukina, of course!'_

_'Best not be deceived by outward appearances.'_

_'Hn.'_

_'She looks untrustworthy.'_

"Did she really have to wear something so short?" Botan thought out loud.

"What was that, Botan?" Kuwabara asked.

It was then that she realized she said that aloud and began blushing furiously.

"N-nothing!"

"My name is Ruka, and I'll do my best to make this quick and painless," the woman said with a smile as she walked up to Yusuke first.

Yusuke grinned lecherously and encouraged her to do some very unorthodox things while Botan admonished him. Next, Ruka moved onto Kuwabara. She barely looked him over before moving on to Kurama, then Hiei, and finally the masked fighter.

"It seems you all are perfectly fine," Ruka concluded.

Yusuke looked at her a bit confused first before shrugging.

"Oh well, if she says so."

He and Botan walked out from underneath the tent, while supporting Kuwabara. Kurama gave Ruka one last glance before following suit. It was only when Hiei and the masked fighter tried to get out did the trouble start. Ruka appeared before them and shook her head.

"Everyone except you two," Ruka said as she put a hand up to stop them.

Hiei's eyes narrowed when he noticed her eyeing his arm.

"It must be incredibly hard to fight with an injury like that," Ruka continued. "Have you been experiencing any sharp or reoccurring pains?"

"You're the nurse, you tell me," Hiei shot back with a glare.

"And what about you?" she asked, her red eyes focused on the shorter woman before her. "I can barely feel any energy radiating off of you; that last attack must have completely drained you. Are you feeling light-headed or dizzy?"

"No," the masked fighter answered evenly.

After writing down a few notes on her clipboard and setting it aside, Ruka turned towards the two fighters.

"I'll have to ask you two to sit this round out. I need to run a few tests."

"I don't take orders from anyone. You can examine yourself," Hiei replied, taking his leave.

The masked fighter followed his lead, but before the two of them could exit the tent, a barrier was erected. The energy from the barrier snaked its way around their bodies, keeping them restricted. Hiei glared at Ruka as he struggled to break free, but it was no use. He felt as if all of his energy was being drained.

"What is the meaning of this?" Hiei gritted, still fighting to break free.

Ruka laughed as her uniform disappeared, only to reveal her true nature. There were nothing but cords wrapped around her body, but even so there was little left to the imagination.

"The others' injuries don't concern me in the least, but yours, Hiei," she paused, before smirking. "They are truly something."

She then turned to the masked fighter.

"And you've got some pretty interesting techniques. They could prove quite useful to me."

"You bitch," Hiei snarled as he struggled against his restraints, his anger growing as Ruka's laughter increased.

"You both must control yourselves," Kurama instructed from his spot outside of the barrier. "She's using your own energy to trap you, the more you struggle, the harder it becomes to break free; just relax."

Upon hearing Kurama's words, the masked fighter immediately stopped struggling and the energy that was once surrounding her body was gone. After seeing this, Hiei visibly relaxed and he too was free.

"Ruka the Enchantress, is it not?" Kurama asked finally.

"I'm surprised it took you so long to figure it out, Kurama," she admitted. "They might have been freed from my hold but, your friends won't be able to bust out of my barrier. You'll find it different from the ones constructed by lower demons."

"She's right," Kurama noted reluctantly. "She is obviously working under the committee and we have no choice but to fight this round without the aid of Hiei, or the masked fighter."

Yusuke looked back and forth between the tent and Kuwabara before nodding. They were down three fighters, but between him and Kurama, he was sure they could defeat the next team.

"It's probably for the best, anyway. The masked fighter used up most of her energy on that last attack and Hiei's arm is still injured. Kurama and I can take this one."

"My thoughts exactly," Kurama said, his emerald eyes eyeing over the competition.

"It's settled then," Yusuke announced with a smirk.

"The third round of the Dark Tournament will start now. Due to Hiei and the masked fighter's ineligibility, Team Urameshi will be fighting with three combatants. Team captains please make your way onto the ring."

"That's my cue," Yusuke said before walking over to the ring.

Botan's eyes wandered as she examined each one of her teammates. To be honest, she wanted to believe that everything would be alright, but the odds were stacked so horribly against them. Not counting Kuwabara, they old had two eligible fighters. Yusuke and Kurama were strong, no doubt, but it wasn't enough against an entire team comprised of skilled fighters.

She watched as Kurama stepped into the ring and crossed her arms. This Gama didn't look so strong; he looked fairly small and weak. Hopefully Kurama could keep him at bay, but there was no way of telling his true strength. It didn't help that the rest of Team Masho had insisted on keeping those ridiculous capes on as they stood by their side of the ring and watched the ensuing match.

Botan looked back to Hiei and the Masked Fighter. They could really use their help right about now. If only that woman hadn't trapped them. She saw Ruka wearing that self-satisfied smirk and it just made her blood boil.

"This isn't fair!" Botan complained finally as she stomped over to the tent. "Hiei and the masked fighter are both perfectly fine and able to go on to the next round! Kuwabara is the one who is in clear need of medical assistance!"

"His injuries don't concern me," Ruka stated simply as she examined her nails.

"What kind of a nurse are you!"

"If you had been listening earlier, you would know that I'm an enchantress and not a nurse."

"Either way you're still despicable!" Botan shot back with a frown.

"At least I have some use," Ruka countered, placing a hand on her hip. "Now run along and fulfill your duties as the team cheerleader or whatever it is that you do."

"Cheerleader?" Botan echoed, completely taken aback by the enchantress' boldness. She could hardly believe it; this woman was really starting to get on her nerves. "I'll have you know, I'm the team trainer!" Botan said as she crossed her arms proudly.

"Yes, and you're doing such an excellent job," Ruka scoffed. "The way Kurama is getting his ass handed to him by Gama is simply amazing."

Botan turned to her attention to the ring and gasped.

"What's going on?"

"Gama used some kind of weird curse to limit Kurama's movements!" Kuwabara answered gravely.

They all watched in horror as Gama lunged towards Kurama. Time seemed to move in slow motion as Gama closed in on Kurama. When all hope seemed lost, Kurama's rose whip snaked its way around his hair and the spirit-fox attacked. Gama fell to the ground, bleeding heavily from the large cuts that adorned his body.

"That… was badass," Yusuke announced, the initial shock wearing off.

"Way to go Kurama!" Kuwabara cheered.

"Oh, I just knew he would win!" Botan exclaimed excitedly.

They all watched as Gama jumped back up, attempting to attack Kurama. Even with the curse placed on him, Kurama managed to dodge all of Gama's punches. Kurama urged his opponent to stop his futile efforts and avoid dying in vain, but Gama refused and continued his relentless attack, his blood spilling on Kurama in the process.

"Don't count him out yet," Ruka muttered.

"He obviously wasted Kurama's efforts at being merciful; that last stunt he pulled ensured his death," Hiei cut in with a smirk.

"That last stunt ensured Kurama's death," Ruka said smugly.

"What?" Botan gasped.

"Gama's blood is part of his technique: 'The Makeup of the Seal.'"

"And what does it do?" Hiei cut in impatiently.

"It seals spirit energy; meaning he won't be using that nasty rose-whip technique anymore."

"Kurama is a lot smarter than you give him credit for; such a lackluster tactic will prove futile against him," Hiei informed.

Botan nodded in agreement but Ruka just laughed.

"That isn't all. The previous curse that Gama placed on Kurama towards the beginning of the match, the one that limits his movements, still remains long after Gama dies. Kurama will have a hard time keeping up with his next opponent."

Botan and Hiei exchanged glances before looking towards the ring. His gaze wasn't as guarded and indifferent as she was used to seeing, and for that brief instant Botan could see just how concerned Hiei was over the news.

A new member of Team Masho stepped into the ring and after removing the black cape, Hiei finally spoke.

"Get him out of there," he murmured.

"What?" Botan asked, utterly confused.

"Tell Yusuke to get Kurama out of there, now," he ordered.

Botan nodded before running over to Yusuke.

"We have a problem!" Botan said breathlessly.

Yusuke turned to her and raised a brow.

"You only just figured that out?"

Botan shook her head before continuing.

"Hiei says you've got to step in and take over for Kurama! He can't fight Touya in the state he's in!"

"Hiei?" Yusuke echoed. "Hiei told you that?"

Botan nodded exasperatedly.

"He seems to be very worried! Please, Yusuke, you have to do something!"

He nodded, but before he could say anything Koto raised the microphone to her mouth.

"Are both combatants ready?"

Touya and Kurama both nodded their heads.

"Yo, fox-girl!" Yusuke shouted as Koto looked down at him in confusion.

"I'm not a-"

"Kurama can barely move, switch him out with me!" Yusuke hollered, ignoring Koto's obvious disdain at being mistaken for a fox-demon.

"I'm fine, Yusuke. I've been in worse situations," Kurama cut in with a small smile. "I will take care of Touya and the rest of the team will be all yours."

Yusuke shook his head. "Kurama…"

"We have no other choice," Kurama reminded.

Yusuke sighed, deciding that Kurama was right.

"Are you absolutely positive?" Botan questioned.

"Yes," Kurama reassured. "I can manage."

* * *

Hiei watched as Botan made her way back to the medical tent. Based off of what he saw, he already knew what she would say, and he wasn't surprised.

"Kurama says he can handle it," Botan informed, a troubled look lacing her features.

Hiei remained silent. The fox wasn't a fool; if he believed he could defeat Touya, then that is exactly what he would do.

"Kurama is the best tactician on this team, chances are these odds won't get in his way," the masked fighter concluded.

"I suppose you're right," Botan admitted, "but I would feel a lot better if you and Hiei were participating in this round."

"There's no use in wishing for something that won't happen; my barriers are impenetrable," Ruka reminded with a wave of her hand.

"You-"

"-Drop the act Ruka, by now even you should have realized what is going on," the masked fighter cut in.

Botan's glare melted into a look of utter shock and confusion as she looked between Ruka's uneasy expression, the masked fighter's calm countenance, and Hiei's smirk.

"Soon enough I will be able to break free from your hold and as I get stronger, your barrier becomes weaker," he informed as flexed his injured arm effortlessly. "It's only a matter of time, now."

"It's healing…" Botan muttered in disbelief.

"That's impossible!" Ruka said as she took an unconscious step back and away from Hiei.

"Don't think you won't be the first one I go after when I'm released," he declared sinisterly as he pointed a finger in her direction.

Although Ruka turned away from Hiei, he could still sense the fear emanating off of her and that was enough, for now.

"Would you look at that," Ruka muttered flippantly, casting Botan a sideways glance. "Even I serve more use to your team than you…"

Hiei had expected Botan to flare up and yell about how she was integral part of the team — the type of thing an over-emotional ferry-girl would do — but when she just stood there silently, he was officially confused. She didn't even say anything in response, as if she agreed completely with what the moronic enchantress was saying.

He watched as she walked away, her normally chipper expression gone. He didn't really care about her feelings, but that dejected look simply didn't suit her.

* * *

"Botan are you alright?"

"Huh?" Botan snapped out of her thoughts and looked over to Kurama. He was a real sight for sore eyes, but at least he was conscious again. The little energy he had left was expended on Touya and once he was taken care of, Kurama was left unconscious in the middle of the ring. Before anyone had the chance to remove his body, Bakken stepped in and began beating him mercilessly. It was only after Yusuke threatened to use his spirit gun, thereby killing Bakken and disqualifying the Urameshi team, did the team leader order Bakken to release Kurama.

Yusuke quickly disposed of the heartless menace and for that, Botan was glad. Now he was fighting the fourth member of the team, Jin. Her thoughts were far from the fight, though. The enchantress' words echoed in her mind.

"I asked if you were alright," Kurama repeated.

"Of course I'm alright, Kurama," she replied, forcing a smile on her face and waving him off. After examining the numerous cuts and bruises on his body the smile on her face lessened. "You don't look so well, though…"

"It will take a great deal of effort and energy, but I'm confident I will be able to successfully remove the death plant from my body."

"That's good to know," Botan affirmed. "You really gave us all a scare, Hiei included. I've never seen him look so worried before."

Kurama chuckled.

"Is that so?"

Botan nodded excitedly.

"I almost couldn't believe it!"

"Well, in any case, we should keep this between you and I," Kurama noted. "I doubt Hiei would be too happy if he heard you telling everyone."

"You're right, I supposed he wouldn't!" Botan admitted sheepishly.

There was silence between the two until the ferry-girl continued their conversation, albeit a bit hesitantly

"But you know…" she paused. "I never expected to see that look on his face."

Kurama nodded his head, urging her to go on.

"He usually has this indifferent or cold look expression — that is when he's not threatening or taunting someone — but when he saw you in trouble, he was actually worried about you," Botan said. "And while of course I'm not happy that he was worried, I'm happy that he can actually show he cares. I used to think he only cared about himself… oh, and Yukina, too, of course."

"Despite what he thinks, he is quite capable of caring for others. He just doesn't know how to show it, but more than that, he's not ready to accept the fact that such emotions could reside in his heart."

Botan nodded in understanding.

"Well, at least it's a start."

"You've taken quite a liking to him, haven't you?" Kurama observed.

"It's not what you think! I just… he always… and we…" Botan stammered, a light blush forming on her face.

"I meant that in a purely platonic sense, of course," he clarified. "You two have been running into each other a lot lately; it's only natural that you're curious about him."

Before Botan could answer a voice interrupted.

"Botan?"

The duo looked over to see Keiko standing in front of them.

"Keiko, what are you doing down here?" Botan asked, secretly thankful for the distraction.

"Shizuru told me to get you; I think there's someone here that you might know."

* * *

Hiei's attention had been divided between the ongoing matches and, to his complete and utter dismay, the ferry-girl. She continued to both confuse and annoy the hell out of him. There she was, sitting beside Kurama with a blank expression, completely devoid of emotion. It was only when Kurama had gotten her attention did she force that cheerful grin on her face. He couldn't hear their conversation, nor did he want to, but he was a bit curious as to what had her looking so flustered towards the end of it.

She looked like those girls from Kurama's school; the wretched ones who worshipped Kurama's every move, and even went as far as asking him if he knew any information on the fox.

But if that were the case why was she always around him, instead of Kurama?

He rolled his eyes. It wasn't like he particularly cared anyway. The only thing he was concerned with was figuring out why she was so damn unpredictable. Perhaps her lack of logic and intelligence were the cause of her irrational and fickle actions.

His eyes once again deviated from the ring and subconsciously followed the path Botan had taken minutes ago when the detective's woman led her away. His eyes widened as the realization hit him. It was faint, but unmistakable and if he focused enough, he could feel it. Yukina's energy was close; he was certain the ferry-girl had gone to her. Why his sister would willingly be in a place like this baffled him.

There was only one way to find out, and since he refused to pry into his sister's mind, he settled for the ferry-girl. She should have been used to it by now, he figured, as he removed his bandanna and focused on Botan.

The very moment he opened the connection to Botan's mind, he heard something troubling. It sounded as though she were contemplating whether or not she should tell Keiko about Yukina and himself. That woman was more trouble than she was worth.

_'You talk you die,'_ he intervened and immediately she stopped all thoughts of revealing his secret.

What she said next about her being a blabbermouth caused the corner of his mouth to extend into a smirk and he crossed his arms haughtily. He could see her freeze up in fear and begin panicking like the fool that she was and it was good to know that she was still afraid of him. He had thought she was worthless, but it seemed she was good for some entertainment, if nothing else.

"I fail to see the humor in this situation, Hiei. We're ineligible to fight, Kuwabara is injured, Kurama is barely conscious, and Yusuke is up against an opponent he can't even land a decent attack on."

He glared back at her and then shifted his focus towards the ongoing match.

"It is none of your concern."

He should have known a bigmouth like her would never be able to keep his secret unless he threatened her into silence. Like she said, a lot of people knew about him and Yukina and he didn't need anyone else knowing. It wasn't their business and he still resented the fact that the toddler had told the others.

He closed the connection with Botan's mind with a frown. He wasn't even able to get any answers as to why his sister showed up, but deep down he had a feeling it had something to do with him. He would just have to find out from the ferry-girl later. For now, he focused on the match.

* * *

"Yukina, is that really you?"

"Botan!" Yukina exclaimed. Her face lit up as she took Botan's hands in her own. "It's so good to see you."

"Same here," the ferry girl said warmly.

"I was so fortunate to run into Kazuma's older sister," Yukina revealed as she motioned towards Shizuru. "I had just arrived when she spotted me."

"You came all the way from the ice village, right?" Botan questioned as Yukina nodded. "Well that must have been one doozy of a boat-ride!"

The shorter girl smiled before explaining.

"I came here in the hopes of finding my brother. He was said to be an excellent fighter and I'm sure he wouldn't miss the chance to participate in these battles."

Botan stiffened at the mention of Yukina's brother.

"Y-your brother, you say?"

"Yes," Yukina answered. "I know it will be hard, but I won't give up."

"And now you've got us to help you," Shizuru added warmly.

"We will?" Botan echoed weakly as she looked up at Shizuru in confusion. She was under the impression that Shizuru had known all along that Hiei was Yukina's long lost brother. Shizuru had witnessed the tape containing the information about Yukina's capture and her relation to Hiei, after all.

"Relax, I know what you're thinking, but overreact anymore and you'll make her suspicious," Shizuru whispered while the frazzled ferry-girl merely nodded in response.

"Of course we'll help you," Keiko agreed. "What does this brother of yours look like?"

_'I forgot, Keiko doesn't know the relation,'_ Botan thought. _'Let's see, the only ones who know are Koenma, and Yusuke, and Kurama, and Shizuru... oh and Hiei, of course. That's a lot of people! But Keiko deserves to know, too, right?'_

_'You talk, you die,'_ Hiei threatened simply.

Botan turned her back on the girls, a horrified look on her face.

_'It doesn't help that I'm a blabbermouth and he's a telepath!'_

"Botan are you alright?" Keiko asked as she watched the ferry-girl straighten up and wave her hand dismissively.

"Nothing to worry about here!" Botan declared in between nervous laughs.

"Sometimes, I wonder about that girl," Keiko said to herself as she shook her head.

* * *

By the time the girls re-entered the stadium, Kuwabara was fighting Risho. There wasn't much he could do in his battered condition, but when Yukina called out to him, he was suddenly rejuvenated. His victory gave Team Urameshi the win they needed to come out on top.

They had all congregated near the ring and Yukina was healing Kuwabara, while the latter kept on spewing love confessions that were going completely over the ice maiden's head.

While everyone was distracted by Kuwabara's foolish antics, Hiei took the opportunity to get some answers. Without warning he seized Botan's arm and pulled her away from the rest of the group.

"What on earth-"

"-Why is she here?"

Botan laughed nervously.

"It's really funny, actually."

"Spit it out," he ordered, releasing her arm from his grip.

Botan paused before hesitantly pointing a finger his way.

"She's here because she's looking for you."

"What?"

"She heard her brother was a skilled fighter and her instincts told her he would be here," Botan explained quietly. "She's a smart girl."

"Hn."

She really didn't understand why Hiei wouldn't tell Yukina the truth, but she figured he had his reasons. Although she didn't agree with him, she decided to respect his decision.

"I won't tell anyone, you have my word!"

Hiei rolled his eyes.

"You said it yourself: you can't keep a secret. I trust you know what will happen if word gets out."

Botan frowned as she remembered his death-threat from earlier.

"You know," she started, unable to stop herself. "You don't always have to resort to violence and threats. All you had to do was ask nicely."

"I find my methods much more effective," he replied.

"You're not a very nice person, are you Hiei?" Botan admonished as she put a hand on her hip.

"I never claimed to be anything else," he responded with a self-satisfied smirk.

Before anything else could be said, Yukina came up to the duo. She had been tending to each member of the team, healing injuries and she had finally made her way over to Hiei and Botan.

"Do you need my assistance?" she asked, her ruby eyes boring into his own.

Immediately the smirk was erased from his face and he became serious once more.

"Save your energy; there is no need to waste it on me."

Botan noticed the way his voice softened considerably when he spoke to his sister. He didn't even look her straight in the eye, either. It was almost — dare she think it — cute.

"I never got to properly thank you for rescuing me from Tarukane. Please, my abilities may not be much, but if you need any healing, come to me," Yukina offered before turning towards the others.

"Yukina, my sweet, what would we have done without you?" Kuwabara gushed as he flexed his newly renewed muscles. "Because you were here, the power of love prevailed!"

"Kazuma, you say the most interesting things sometimes," she said before letting out a giggle.

"Anything to see you smile, baby," Kuwabara continued.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving," Yusuke cut in suddenly. "I could eat until I drop."

"We should make our way back to the hotel, then," Kurama advised.

"And we can get Yukina settled in," Keiko added.

"Allow me to help, my sweet!" Kuwabara volunteered, clasping his hands together with the ice-maiden.

Hiei took a step forward, ready to detach Kuwabara's hands from his body, when a beeping noise suddenly emitted, dividing his attention. He looked towards the source and found Botan digging through her pockets.

"Ah, here it is!" she declared when she finally retrieved it: the communication device.

* * *

"What's taking that ogre so long?" Koenma muttered as he waited for George's return.

"Koenma sir, I'm here!" Botan said cheerily as she stepped inside of the room.

"Oh, hello there Botan," Koenma said as he turned around to face her.

"Is everything alright?"

"It's come to my attention that you destroyed your oar."

Botan's eyes widened, she had completely forgotten all about it.

"Botan?" he pressed on.

"Well, you see… it was all in self-defense! A demon came out of nowhere and attacked and I-"

"-Yes, yes," Koenma acknowledged with a wave of his hand. "I heard the story, but what I'm more concerned with is the fact that you were out in the middle of the night flying around."

Her shoulders slumped and she bowed her head.

"Botan, you should know I don't have much authority over here. If anyone were to find out you worked for spirit world, your chances of getting killed would increase tenfold. That was very reckless of you."

"I know, I wasn't thinking clearly, sir."

Koenma sighed; he never liked seeing her down.

"Next time, just refrain from doing anything that would alert the demons on this island."

"Alright," she conceded.

"No flying around on your oar."

She nodded.

"And no using your white-magic," he added as an afterthought.

"But what if someone is really injured, I can at least-"

Koenma shook his head.

"Haven't you been listening to a word I said?"

"I have, but I'm just tired of being useless!"

"You aren't useless; there are plenty of things you can do to help out."

"Like what?" she challenged, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, you can…" Koenma paused, trying to come up with something that would please her.

Botan began tapping her foot impatiently on the floor, awaiting his answer.

"Um…"

"I'm here, sir!" George proclaimed breathlessly as he placed a tray of food in front of the prince.

"It took you long enough!" Koenma yelled, masking his relief with annoyance.

"I'm sorry, sir!" George apologized.

"Hmph, and this one looks eaten!" Koenma accused as he picked up a squid on a stick and examined it closely. "Don't tell me you got hungry on the way here!"

George twiddled his thumbs innocently.

"O-of course not!"

"Ogre!" Koenma bellowed at the top of his lungs, before beginning to admonish George.

Botan sighed, fully well knowing that continuing to question him would be a lost cause. She slipped out quietly and made her way down the hall.

* * *

While the others went back to the hotel to rest, Hiei decided to train. He trusted that the others would look after Yukina should any trouble arise, but even without the others, he was confident in her defensive abilities. She would be alright for now, but the fact remained that she was willing to put herself in danger by looking for him. He wished she would just give up, but she was persistent. He supposed it was a family trait.

He knew there was no use in worrying over such things, so rather than wasting his time by going back to the hotel, he decided to make full use of the day. He regained the mobility of his arm, and he had to get back in top form. He also couldn't give up the chance to master the dragon technique. There had to be another way to bring out the dragon's power without destroying a limb and he would figure it out, eventually.

His training would have gone smoothly, had it been for a certain ferry-girl wandering over into his training space. He watched as she made her way closer to the spot he was. She hadn't even noticed him staring at her, yet. She was lost in thought and by the looks of it, it wasn't a particularly pleasant one. Her eyes were dull; they lacked that usual brightness that seemed to emit from her candy-colored irises. Her mouth that was either always opened, spouting idealistic garbage or extended in a cheerful grin was shut tight and the corners of her lips tugged downwards into a frown. That little bounce she always had in her step had disappeared, too, as she dragged her feet along the grass, not really paying attention to where she was going.

He wondered just how long she would go on looking so pitiful, when she tripped and fell with a surprised cry.

"You should watch where you're going," he muttered before standing in front of her.

Botan looked up, startled by his voice. He couldn't help but notice the slight blush on her cheeks as she stood up and dusted her pants off.

"You could have given me some kind of warning," she pouted.

"If you had been paying attention there would be no need for my intervention," Hiei shot back as he sheathed his sword.

"I was paying attention," Botan defended lamely. "…sort of."

He eyed her scrupulously before scoffing. He wasn't used to seeing her acting this way, and it began to irritate him.

"Is something bothering you?" she asked, raising a brow.

"It's you."

Botan crossed her arms, obviously offended with the callous way he treated her.

"Well excuse me for… for…" she paused, putting a finger to her chin. "What exactly am I doing wrong, again?"

"I'm trying to train; I don't need a sulky ferry-girl disrupting my concentration."

"I'm not sulking!"

Hiei rolled his eyes at her obvious lie.

"It's just…" she took a deep breath before continuing. He watched as she internally wrestled with the thought of voicing her concerns, until she finally spoke up. "Do you think I'm useless?

So that was what this was all about. She was still bothered over Ruka's words from earlier. Before he could even get a chance to answer, she continued.

"Never mind, I already know your answer," she cut in, managing to smile despite the sad look in her eyes. "I just wanted to be helpful, but even an enemy proved to be more useful than me."

"Rather than wasting your time dwelling on what you can't do, figure out a way to get past all of that. Make yourself useful," Hiei instructed, his gaze never once leaving hers.

"…what can I do without my abilities?"

"Those nauseatingly optimistic speeches you tend to spew seem to have an effect on the detective and the oaf."

"But, I thought you said those were just 'silly little convictions'?"

"Those sentiments may be completely irrelevant and ineffectual for me, but the others appear to need such nurturing words."

"So, you're saying I should just continue with what I've been doing all along?" Botan questioned. "And that's good enough?"

"I'm saying stop sulking," Hiei commanded. "It doesn't suit you."

Botan smiled warmly at him and he looked away, immediately regretting what he had just done.

"Kurama was right all along! You really do care!"

"What?"

His eyes narrowed upon hearing her confession and she covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes widening in fear.

"Oh nothing… I was just thinking out loud!" she sang nervously.

"Woman," he began as he rounded on her angrily upon realizing what she just said.

She was doing it again, taking everything he did and turning it into something noble. The way she continually looked for the good puzzled him. But more than that, it angered him. He needed to get those notions out of her head, and he was beginning to realize that scaring them out of her was his only option.

As he advanced on her, Botan continued to backpedal nervously until her foot grazed upon a root. She looked back cautiously to find she was backed up against a tree and had nowhere else to go.

His original intentions were to chase her off, but he decided to take advantage of the situation, placing his arms on either side of her, successfully stopping her from running away.

"Hiei, don't be hasty… I didn't mean what I said before!" she pleaded as she tried to escape from her imprisonment.

"It's no use," he said with a smirk.

Scaring her proved to be somewhat of a thrill for him and he was so close, he could've sworn he heard her heart beating rapidly. Her body was tense, as if she was anticipating something painful and her eyes were wide in fear. A few moments passed and her fear turned into something else, as he noticed she began to blush profusely, in the same manner she did when she was with Kurama, earlier.

Perhaps she was just uneasy because of their proximity. He leaned in closer, if only to test his theory, but to his surprise, he felt her body begin to loosen up. It seemed as though she had given up, realizing any further struggling would be useless against him. Her eyes were no longer wide in fear, but they stared back into his own, as if she were waiting for him to continue.

He had hoped to continue his game of scaring her a bit longer, but the woman actually relaxed against him and suddenly, the thought of getting closer to her became more prominent in his mind. It wasn't his fault, though. If she hadn't stopped struggling, he never would have noticed how questionable their positions looked. It seemed as if she had wholly submitted to him, and this opportunity was too enticing to pass up.

He had almost closed the gap between them.

He just had to move a little bit closer.

Just a bit more…

"There you are!" a familiar voice cut in. "Keiko had me search every damn inch of this place for you. She thought you went and got yourself into trouble again—uh, am I interrupting something?"

"Yes," Hiei stated, his eyes narrowing, but never once leaving Botan's.

"No!" Botan wriggled her way out of his hold and ran over to Yusuke's side. "Whatever gave you that impression?"

Hiei glared at her and she hid behind Yusuke.

"Now I'm confused," Yusuke mused, scratching his head.

"Oh don't you worry about a thing!" Botan assured from behind Yusuke. "We really should be getting back to the others now, don't you think?"

"I don't know what's going on here, but if you two were in the middle of some kinky foreplay, then maybe you should get a room. I mean, don't demons have really sensitive hearing? I bet the whole island would be able to hear if you stayed out here."

"We were just having a civil conversation!" she exclaimed disgustedly.

"Really? Because it looked pretty hot and heavy, if you ask me! If I walked in a second later you would probably be tearing each other's clothes-"

"Yusuke!" Botan shrieked in embarrassment.

"Hn." Hiei picked up his sword. "Don't be ridiculous. This conversation is over."

He then vanished without warning, getting as far away as possible as he could from both the ferry-girl and the detective. Things were just getting too damn complicated.

The physical things, he could deal with. He knew he had the strength and the speed to outmatch her, as he displayed when he cornered her. He didn't expect she would give up so easily and stop struggling against him (nor did he expect to find himself wanting to be closer to her), but that was beside the point. It was only natural that being so close to her would cause a reaction like that within him.

It was the non-physical aspects of it that he was worried about. The growing effect she had on him lately. The way she began to occupy many of his thoughts. The way he began to pick up on her habits and differentiate between her false smiles and genuine grins. The way his actions always ended up betraying his words when he was around her.

He wanted nothing more to do with her, but it seemed he had no choice in the matter and he was cursed with putting up with her for the remainder of his time on the island.

He had even taken to comforting her. He didn't know why he said what he did; it just came out of its own volition. He could see how much it meant to her; how much she appreciated it, even though he pretended he couldn't.

He just couldn't fathom why his words meant so much to her. He originally accounted it to the fact that she was an overly-sensitive woman, but it was more to it than that. Perhaps it was because she actually cared about him, like she claimed earlier. If that were the case, it was truly an unsettling thought.

Hiei sighed.

It did make sense, though. She would be the type of person to be concerned with everyone, no matter how badly they might have treated her. Her constant insistence in helping the team out and being useful all stemmed from her compassionate nature.

She used her heart, rather than her head. Her emotions were the driving force behind her actions. That was why she got into so much trouble so often. It was the reason why, despite her obvious fear of him, she tried to get along with him and bridge the gap between them.

She was one of the first people to actually care for him and put so much effort into it getting closer to him, and more than anyone else, he wished she wouldn't.

* * *

So, here I am, forcing myself to edit this chapter. I wanted to update before Christmas, as a present to all of you! I'm cutting it close, aren't I? But at least I still managed to do it! Life has been crazy lately what with the new additions to the [extended] family [yay for babies!], weddings, studying abroad preparations, finals, last-minute holiday shopping, etc…

This chapter is drastically different from how it looked originally, but I don't really mind it all that much. That part where Hiei corners Botan is one of the new additions. He thinks she simply just gave up and stopped struggling, but you'll get to see what she thought of the encounter in the next chapter.

Anyway, there will be much more H/B goodness in the next chapter, so look forward to it! Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews and please, keep them coming! :D

Last but not least: Have a Merry Christmas, and if you don't celebrate it, then I hope you enjoy the Holiday Season!


	6. Chapter 6

More Than Anyone Else

"Talking"

_'Thoughts'_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

A/N: I got some scary news health-wise and I've been in a bit of a rut, but I'm completely out of it and back to my old self now! And to celebrate: here is a new chapter!

I know it's been a few months, but I hope you guys can forgive me! As a peace offering, I'll let you in on a little secret. My good friend Crystal Koneko has an amazing H/B drabble series out. You should go check it out! I'm sure most of you have already read it, but for the few who haven't read it yet: enjoy! Haha. :D

Alright, that's all I've got to say for now. You've waited long enough, so sit back, relax, and enjoy Chapter 6!

* * *

Botan sat on her bed as she recalled the events between Hiei and herself. She truly didn't know what he was planning. At first she thought he was going to kill her slowly and make all of those death threats a reality, but then something changed and the situation took a drastic turn. It was the moment where fear melted into anticipation; the moment she began feeling things she definitely should not have been feeling.

She had never been this close to him before, that is if you didn't count the two instances where he had saved her, but the first time was horribly uncomfortable due to the way he was holding her and the velocity at which he was running at, and the second time went by too quick for her to even recall. This time, however, was different. He wasn't even holding her; he was just so close that the distance between them had appeared to vanish. Then as he got even closer, her body just reacted on autopilot. She didn't even realize what she was doing then, but now, it became all too clear.

For some unfathomable reason, she believed he was going to kiss her, and she stopped struggling and allowed the events to take its natural course.

Why did she stop struggling, why didn't she push him away, or at least scream for him to stop? What in the world compelled her to just stand there and await it? Why did her heart race with anticipation and why on earth did she feel a slight disappointment at Yusuke's interruption?

Moreover, what was he thinking? He never showed any interest in her, unless it had something to do with blood-lust, so what sort of stunt was he trying to pull?

She sighed loudly; all of these questions were making her head hurt.

"Hey Botan are you okay?" Keiko asked. "You've been acting strange ever since Yusuke brought you back to the hotel."

"She's probably got a bad case of Hiei on the brain," Shizuru guessed, her eyes glued to the magazine she had brought with her.

"I-I do not!" Botan stammered, a light blush staining her cheeks.

"You get unusually quiet and your face turns all sorts of pink and red shades when you're thinking about him," she countered as she flipped a page.

Botan crossed her arms, huffing.

"Is there something going on between the two of them?" Yukina piped in suddenly, her eyes wide with innocence.

"No!" Botan replied tensely. Her answer was directed towards Keiko and Shizuru, but upon realizing the implications it might have on Yukina, she immediately regretted it. It would be horrible if Yukina began to get the wrong idea about her brother. "Not that he's a bad person, or anything, in fact I think he's a swell guy! He's very noble and strong, and he's intelligent, too!"

"You see that?" Shizuru placed a hand on Yukina's shoulder. "Botan could probably name every single one of his good points and yet she still claims there's nothing going on between the two of them."

Keiko ineffectively stifled a giggle behind her hands upon hearing this.

"So she has feelings for him?" Yukina questioned, looking up at the taller woman.

Botan jumped off of her bed and placed both hands on Yukina's shoulders, pulling the koorime away from Shizuru's clutches.

"Yukina, dear," she started, fully intending to dispel any thoughts of her and Hiei from the koorime's brain as she put on a convincing tone.

"Yes, Botan?"

Yukina's undivided attention was given to Botan, and unfortunately for the ferry-girl, along with Yukina's attention came her eyes.

Those unmistakable and striking crimson orbs.

Although Yukina's eyes held an innocence that Botan was sure she would never witness within Hiei's intense and guarded gaze, it was more than enough to bring back the memories of what occurred earlier. She began to recall the way his eyes bore into her own and she could feel her face heating up.

"Botan… are you alright?"

She snapped out of it immediately, noticing the looks the two brunettes were shooting her.

"I'm perfectly fine, nothing to worry about here!" Botan laughed nervously, trying to get the images of Hiei out of her head. "Anyway, Yukina, dear, don't let these too fool you. There's absolutely nothing going on between Hiei and I!" Botan said sweetly, before setting her sights on the two human girls. "Besides, it's not like you two aren't having your fair share of troubles!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Shizuru replied casually as she set the magazine aside and crossed her arms.

The ferry-girl smiled deviously.

"Oh, so there's absolutely nothing going on between you and that handsome manager of Team Toguro?"

The look on Shizuru's face turned from relaxed to shocked in a matter of seconds. It was obvious the elder Kuwabara had no idea that anyone knew of her little run-ins with Sakyo.

"And you're still giving Yusuke the silent treatment!" Botan exclaimed, pointing a finger at Keiko.

"I'm just waiting for the right time!" Keiko replied, though the firmness in her voice was undermined by the blush on her face.

A flash of light emitted in the room and the girls looked to the source of it. Botan stood at the center of the room with a devious grin on her face, her trusty camera secure in her hands.

"And that is a perfect example of two love-struck girls in denial!"

Keiko scrambled from her seat and rushed to Botan's side, peeking over at the camera before letting out an anguished sigh.

"Botan, you're always taking horrible pictures of us on that thing!" Keiko exclaimed, pointing a finger over at the camera.

"Candid shots are the best ones!" Botan replied with a cat-like grin.

Yukina watched the item warily.

"What is that?"

"This is a device from the human world called a camera. It takes pictures of your surroundings. Would you like to take one?"

"No thank you," Yukina refused, shaking her head cautiously. "I heard those things capture your soul."

"That's just a myth," Shizuru chuckled.

"They're perfectly harmless, see?" Botan snapped another picture of the brunettes. "Shizuru and Keiko are alright. Do you want to give it a shot?"

"I'm not very confident, yet… but perhaps sometime in the future," Yukina agreed.

Botan smiled at this. She could tell the koorime was trying hard to assimilate and adjust to her current surroundings. After all, the only places she had ever known were the ice village and Tarukane's mansion. It was her first experience with people other than those who wanted to exploit her, or those of the ice village. Botan only wished she could do something to help Yukina adjust and feel more comfortable here.

"I know!" Botan said suddenly, clapping her hands together. "We should all eat dinner together, as a welcoming of sorts for Yukina!"

"That's really not necessary," Yukina declined immediately. "I'm sure everyone is busy preparing for the next round."

"Nonsense! We're all glad to have you here, and we've got plenty of free time on our hands!" Botan insisted.

"That sounds like a great idea," Keiko agreed. "I wonder if the guys are busy."

"I'm sure baby bro would drop anything and everything if it has to do with Yukina," Shizuru noted, a playful smile on her lips.

Keiko nodded.

"Same goes for Yusuke, except his trigger is food."

"Oh and I can invite Koenma as well, he's been so busy lately!" Botan said as she reached in her pockets for her communication mirror. She let out a startled gasp upon examining the status of the device; it was clearly broken and she whimpered as pieces of it fell to the floor.

"What happened?" Keiko questioned.

"It must have broken when I fell," Botan explained, remembering her embarrassing trip in front of Hiei before concealing it back in her pocket. "First my oar, and now this! Koenma's going to be absolutely livid!"

"If you can manage to get by without them, then you can probably just get them fixed once you return to the Spirit World," Shizuru offered.

"Yes, but we have one teeny problem," Botan started sheepishly. "I sort of need my oar to get back to Spirit World."

"Well, then, you're screwed."

"I was afraid you were going to say that," the ferry-girl responded dismally. "Oh well, in any case, tonight is all about Yukina. Shall we pay a visit to the boys?

* * *

"I'm not going," Hiei said abruptly, halting Kurama on his way out of the room.

"Perhaps you should stop to think about what your actions might imply," Kurama advised.

Hiei rolled his eyes; he hated it when Kurama got all cryptic on him.

"It implies that I'm not hungry," he grunted.

Kurama shook his head.

"If you're the only one on the team who is absent, Yukina might take it the wrong way."

"I'm not the only one who won't be attending," Hiei said remembering what happened when Botan used Yusuke's communication device to invite Koenma. Both he and the masked fighter had prior arrangements, and while Hiei found it odd that Koenma would have any business with the masked fighter in the first place, the rest of the team merely shrugged it off. "You didn't make much of a fuss when they declined," Hiei pointed out.

"That's true, but they had a legitimate reason." Kurama's calculating gaze landed on Hiei. "You do not."

"It doesn't matter," Hiei gritted. "I've got much better things to be doing than sitting around and wasting time."

"Sharing a meal with the people you have sworn a temporary allegiance to can hardly be considered wasting time."

Hiei rolled his eyes at the comment. It wasn't as though he had willingly formed an alliance with the band of fools; he had no choice in the matter. It was either the tournament or prison.

Kurama sighed.

"Your absence will end up drawing more attention to yourself than you would have originally hoped."

"You're over-thinking things, as usual," Hiei replied.

"And as usual, you're not thinking enough," Kurama cautioned.

"Kurama…" Hiei growled.

"You know I'm right." Kurama walked over to the door and gave Hiei one last glance. "Come to dinner, eat, and enjoy the company of your teammates. It wouldn't kill you to be a bit more social and I'm sure Yukina will appreciate the fact that you came."

Hiei rolled his eyes when he heard the door slam shut and walked over to pick up his sword. He would never understand the fox and his pestering ways. Kurama knew him well enough, at least well enough to know that Hiei preferred to be alone. Eating dinner in the company of the detective, the oaf, the fox, the other women, and the rest of the occupants of the hotel wasn't something he would normally do.

In fact, staying away from all of them was best for both his sanity and the team as a whole. He would rather spend the night training and ensuring his victory in the upcoming matches, than squandering it through frivolous chatting and inactivity.

There was the possibility that Yukina might notice his absence, but she wouldn't be offended by it. At least, he thought she wouldn't. She was his sister after all; she wouldn't let something so small and insignificant bother her.

Then again, she was the complete opposite of him; kind and gentle, soft-hearted and naïve. Perhaps she would notice his absence and wonder why he was the only teammate without an alibi who hadn't showed up. He was certain that she would show him no ill-face; she was too compassionate to do so, but what if in the back of her mind she thought that she was the reason behind his nonattendance?

"Damn it all," he cursed as he dropped his sword at his bedside.

* * *

The fire demon was the last one to arrive. He ignored the ghost of a smile that appeared on Kurama's face when he sat down in the only seat available. Unfortunately for him, that seat happened to be right beside Kurama and across from Botan.

He hoped the night would go by quickly and without any disruptions, but as usual nothing ever went the way he planned.

It didn't help that they were the loudest table and drew the most attention. Yusuke and Kuwabara always found a way to argue about something or the other, and when the fool wasn't busy fighting with Yusuke, he was setting his sights on Yukina. It was revolting, but Yukina hadn't given him any special attention, either because she had no intentions of returning his affections, or she had no clue of what Kuwabara was getting at. Hiei had a strong feeling it was the latter, being that she was sheltered most of her life and had little to no interaction with men other than the bastards who abducted her, but he still couldn't help himself from hoping it was the first option.

"So, my sweet, do you feel any closer to your brother now that you've come here?" Kuwabara asked, breaking Hiei out of his thoughts.

He mentally cursed Kuwabara and his untimely questions. The detective looked thrilled by the recent turn of events, and Hiei cursed him, too. Kurama cast a wary glance in Yusuke's direction, but unfortunately for Hiei, the teenager hadn't caught on.

Yukina nodded.

"I'm sure he is somewhere on this island."

"Yeah, for all we know he could be right in this room, at this very moment," Yusuke added smugly.

Hiei glared at the detective from across the table, his fists clenching underneath the table.

"That's the spirit Urameshi!" Kuwabara shouted, completely ignorant of the sudden tension between his teammates. "We'll find him, eventually."

"I've got the strangest feeling we've already met the guy," Yusuke added with a smirk.

"Wouldn't that be something," Keiko mused.

"Say, what do you think about all of this, Hiei?" the spirit detective questioned in mock innocence.

Hiei glared murderously at the teenager and if he had his sword, it would have been pressed against Yusuke's throat right about now.

"Do you really want to know what I think, detective?" Hiei gritted.

Yusuke nodded encouragingly, not catching the darkened look on Hiei's face. Kurama noticed it though, and cut in before any more could be said.

"I'm sure Hiei hopes for the best and will do what he can to help find Yukina's brother, as we all will," Kurama replied evenly, giving Yukina a reassuring smile before flashing a warning look over at Yusuke.

"Thank you," Yukina said graciously, smiling over at Kurama and Hiei. "I appreciate everyone's help."

Hiei's features softened considerably and merely nodded at the ice-maiden. He supposed it was a good thing that the fox cut in, he was sure Yukina would have been shocked by the few choice words he was about to direct towards Yusuke.

"So what's the plan for tomorrow, do you guys have another fight?" Shizuru asked.

Kurama shook his head.

"Actually, we have a few days of rest before the semi-finals."

"I guess you guys lucked out, then."

"Yes. The committee never expected us to reach this far, and so we've got a gap in our schedules. They intended to overwhelm us with the first four matches, hoping the endless fighting would tire us out and cause us to lose, but we prevailed and now we have more days to prepare."

"Don't tell me you guys are going to spend all of your time training," Keiko admonished, although her tone indicated that she already knew the answer.

Yusuke took a swig of his juice to wash down the food that he had just crudely shoved into his mouth before answering, "We don't have much of a choice. Even after all of my training with Genkai, Toguro can still probably kick my ass from here to Spirit World."

Keiko frowned worriedly.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm a hell of a lot stronger than I used to be, but it still isn't enough. I know there's got to be a way for me to get on Toguro's level… I just haven't figured it out, yet."

The detective was right; none of them were strong enough to defeat an opponent of Toguro's caliber, not yet at least. Hiei intended on using these next few days to master the dragon. It would be a gamble, but it was the only choice he had.

"Before you start setting your sights on Toguro, it would do you well to remember we still have to defeat one more opponent," Kurama reminded.

Yusuke waved Kurama off, shoving some more food into his mouth and mumbling something about how he was sure they would win against whatever team made it to the semi-finals.

Kuwabara nodded in agreement, spouting some nonsensical notion of defeating all of his opponents with "the power of love." Hiei curled his lip in disgust and intended to ignore everyone for the remainder of the night, but throughout the course of his meal, he found his attention wandering back to a certain idealistic blue-haired female.

He caught her glancing over at him and quickly looking away whenever he turned his attention towards her. This little game was starting to become exasperating; if she had something she wanted to say then she should just come outright with it. But of course, like with everything else she did, she was completely flighty and skittish about it.

When she wasn't sneaking glances at him, she appeared to be listening to the chatter of the other women with avid interest, but Hiei could tell otherwise. Her smile wasn't nearly as bright as it usually was, instead it was somewhat forced, and her replies had all been brief and to the point. She was uncharacteristically quiet tonight. Her mind was clearly elsewhere, and it didn't take the jagan for him to figure it out.

It was because of him. She was probably preoccupied over what had happened earlier between them, and Hiei didn't blame her. It was something that should have never happened and he was sure she would be dwelling on it for days if he didn't clear things up.

He reached over to procure a roll from the basket, when Botan's hand brushed against his. She gasped and quickly retracted her arm, as if she had just been burned by him. He continued his motions as if nothing had happened, but his eyes drifted to the ferry-girl. She was making a scene and she didn't even realize it. That blush on her face and uncomfortable gaze was enough for even Kuwabara to figure out that something wasn't right.

Soon after she stood up and excused herself, claiming she had to go to the ladies' room. Hiei's eyes followed her, noting she was going in the wrong direction. Without warning, he stood up and left as well.

"What do you think that was about?" Kuwabara asked as he watched Hiei walk off in the same direction Botan had.

Yusuke grinned.

"They're probably gonna get it on in the bathroom or something freaky like that—"

A loud 'smack' resounded in the air.

"Damn it, Keiko what was that for?" Yusuke exclaimed, rubbing his cheek.

"You know what that was for, Yusuke," Keiko said disgustedly.

"It's not like I'm pulling this outta my ass; I already caught them once in the forest!"

Another slap.

"I'm telling the truth!"

Shizuru shook his head.

"You would think he would learn by now…"

Kurama watched the entire scene before him with a smile. He had taken notice of the interesting developments between the two most unlikely members of their group and could only hope it wouldn't lead to disaster. It was a dangerous game that the two were playing; one that could end up leaving more damage upon the team than the tournament itself.

* * *

"Snap out of it girl! It isn't that big of a deal!" Botan paused, completely changing her tune in the next minute. "Oh who am I kidding? Of course it's a big deal!"

"I always knew you were insane," Hiei began. "Although I didn't know it was to this degree."

Botan came to an abrupt halt at the sound of his voice, before turning on her heels to greet him with a nervous smile.

"Hiei, I didn't even notice you there… is something the matter?"

"You tell me," he shot back.

"Oh, it's nothing," she lied, a light blush shadowing her cheeks.

He gazed at her impatiently.

"Don't bother lying; we both know how bad you are at that."

It was silent for a while, and Hiei could tell she was contemplating whether or not she should come out with it, but she finally sighed and gave in at the end.

"I'm just a bit conflicted, is all," she confessed, wringing her hands timidly.

"Conflicted over what?

"Over what happened between us earlier today," she began hesitantly. "Why did you do that?"

"What exactly do you think I did?" he asked indifferently, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You… you tried to kiss me!" she said, pointing an accusing finger in his direction.

"I tried to kill you," he corrected, his tone even. "The detective just got in the way."

"But we… I mean, you were so close… and I could've sworn…" she trailed off uncertainly, blinking in confusion.

"Sometimes things just happen," he clarified. "It doesn't mean it meant anything. It just was."

She eye him curiously, letting the notion sink in before smiling and nodding a bit too quickly for his liking.

"Yes, you're absolutely right! It was just a mistake!" she agreed, laughing nervously before continuing. "So everything is fine between us, right?"

"There was never anything between us in the first place," Hiei simplified.

At this her expression fell.

"Well, sure there is! You and I are allies. We're practically friends by now, aren't we?"

Hiei raised a brow.

"I threatened to kill you and you claim we're friends?"

"But you threaten everyone!" she reasoned, waving him off. "It's like your way of showing you care!"

"You're incurably twisted, woman," Hiei muttered, and coming from him, that was something serious.

"I am not!"

She tried to put on an angry expression, but her smile was slowly breaking through. The tension that was once between them was finally broken, and for some reason, Hiei felt the slightest bit of relief. As he watched her struggle between containing her smile and giving off a look of extreme offense, he realized he liked it better like this. He was much more accustomed to watching her make a fool out of herself than seeing her quiet and uncomfortable.

"Alright, so maybe I am a bit twisted," Botan relented, finally giving up and smiling fully. "But I am right in suggesting that we're friends, aren't I?"

Hiei only stared back at her disinterestedly. He honestly couldn't fathom why she was so adamant in labeling them as friends.

"We've been through so much together!" Botan continued. "From the very first missions Yusuke's had up until now."

"Our first mission together involved us fighting on two opposing sides," he pointed out.

He remembered it clearly because that was the start of all of his troubles. The day the detective defeated him as a result of his own arrogance and he was captured and sentenced for his crimes. From then on, he learned not to underestimate Yusuke Urameshi and his compulsory involvement with Spirit World snowballed into what it was today.

"That's right," she frowned. "Well, what about Maze Castle! We were on the same side during that mission!" she pointed out.

"We were in two different worlds," he corrected once more.

He was in demon world while she was in the human world. She had contacted the detective about the status of the bugs and infected humans within the town she was scouting. With each call the conditions had become more critical, pushing Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama to work with more urgency. He hadn't really cared, however.

"Aha!" she pointed a finger at him. "What about during the mission to rescue Yukina from Tarukane!"

"Different motives," he responded. "I went there to kill the bastard; you went there to stop it from occurring."

"I guess you're right about that one, but you certainly can't refute anything that's happened on this island!" Botan declared triumphantly. "We're in the same world, on the same side, and with the same motives!"

"You are correct. Here on this island, we are allies."

She beamed upon hearing his words, and he continued.

"But just because we're allies, doesn't mean you're particularly useful. And once this is all over I intend to stay far away from you and the rest of Spirit World."

"You always manage to find a way to ruin things, Hiei," she huffed, a small pout tugging her lips downward. "Well, in any case, an ally is only a step away from being a friend."

"I don't need friends," he replied. "I don't understand why you are so insistent on becoming mine."

She blushed, again, and he began to wonder if she had some sort of chronic condition. It seemed like everything and anything got the woman flustered.

"You really want to know?" she asked.

"I have a feeling you will end up telling me whether I want to or not," Hiei answered darkly.

"Bingo! It's almost uncanny how well you know me, Hiei!" she declared, putting her hands on her hips and eying him smugly. "And you say we aren't friends…"

"Just get on with it."

"Alright, well the reason I'm so insistent is because you keep on denying it! Believe it or not, but you've been a great friend to me during our stay on Hanging Neck Island," she countered.

Hiei stared back at her in mild confusion.

"I don't understand," he began. "I've done nothing but insult what little intelligence you have, mock your foolish beliefs, and threaten your life."

Botan nodded slowly as the realization dawned upon her.

"That is true…"

"If that's what it means to be a friend, then I guess I've been one to just about everyone I've encountered in my life."

"If you go by that logic, then I suppose you're — oh, what am I saying! That's not right at all!" Botan shot back, shaking her head hurriedly. "As usual, Hiei, you're only focusing on the negative things!"

"Enlighten me then, woman."

"Well, you've been the one who has helped me the most," she admitted, her eyes glazed over as if she were recalling sweet memories. "Every time I need something, you were always there. I guess it's funny how things work out sometimes. I mean before this we hardly knew each other, and now you're the one I keep running into."

Hiei frowned upon realizing she was right. They did have a bad habit of running into each other on the island. Each encounter had him acting stranger and he feared what he would become if this kept up. Fate always found a way to screw him over.

"Now that I come to think of it, friendship is a two-way street, and yet I haven't done a single thing for you," Botan acknowledged, counting the many times he had saved her or said the right words to make her feel better. "It's my duty to find a way to make it up to you."

Her sudden declaration snapped him out of his thoughts.

"What?"

"I don't know how, or when, but I promise I will repay you, somehow," she pressed on.

"Woman, I do not need-"

"It is the least I can do for you! We are friends after all!"

"We are not-"

"Then it's settled!"

She giggled happily before skipping off to the direction of the dining hall. Hiei could hear that she was humming a happy tune and just like that she was back to normal. He almost couldn't keep up with her moods. First she was sulking, then she had taken to avoiding him like the plague, and now she was back in that chipper mindset. It was annoying, but he had to admit, he much preferred her like this than how she was before.

He narrowed his eyes. Since when had he cared enough to think about which side of her he preferred at all? Hiei shook his head. It must be the air on this island; it was making him crazy.

* * *

The following day the group was split up as they went off to take care of their own business. The girls insisted on watching Yusuke, Kuwabara, and the masked fighter train and Kuwabara was thrilled to have Yukina show any interest in him at all. The masked fighter was indifferent to the whole thing, as was Yusuke. The trio took turns sparring with one another, putting on somewhat of a show for the other girls.

Kurama decided to view the other matches, deciding any information he could get on his opponents would be better than none at all, while Hiei went off to train in an isolated section of the forest, testing out the limits of the dragon. Botan had been with Koenma and George for the majority of the day, taking care of various duties.

"Botan would you put that thing away?" Koenma complained, referring to her camera. She had been snapping pictures all day, instead of doing work.

"Sorry, sir!" she apologized sheepishly. "I guess this has become somewhat of a hobby of mine."

"Yes, well that doesn't explain why you've been taking unsightly pictures of me," Koenma huffed.

Botan grinned deviously.

"Candid pictures are the best kind, I always say."

The prince merely shook his head and continued his trek back to the hotel. The two had finally finished their duties and while George decided to watch some of the matches, Botan and Koenma were content with missing the action for one day.

A happy sigh emitted from the ferry-girl and Koenma gave her a sideways glance.

"This place is just so beautiful!" she observed, taking another picture. "It's a shame that so much violence occurs here."

"Better it be here than a place populated by defenseless humans," Koenma muttered.

"I guess you do have a point," she admitted.

The two continued their walk in comfortable silence. It was only until Koenma had spotted someone had the silence been disrupted.

"Isn't that your little demon buddy over there?" The prince used one hand to shield his eyes from the sun and the other to point ahead of him. He squinted before nodding his head. "Yep, that's him."

Botan turned to see Hiro's form in the distance. She called over to him excitedly while waving and the boy jogged over to them once he had taken notice of the duo.

"Hello, Hiro! What brings you over to this side of the island? Botan asked cheerfully.

"I just happened to be around, so I decided to see if you were free."

"That's very thoughtful of you, I was just thinking of paying you a visit, too!" Botan looked over at Koenma. "We are finished for the day, right?"

"Well," Koenma looked between Botan and Hiro before shrugging. "There is one more matter we have to tend to, but it isn't urgent. I'll tell you about it later."

"Are you sure, sir?"

"Yes, it can wait. You two have fun, and don't get into any trouble," he advised, before walking away.

"Alright, I'll see you later on," Botan said, watching him leave before turning to Hiro with a grin. "So how have you been?"

"Good, I guess." He shrugged indifferently.

"Getting a little homesick?" Botan teased, poking his arm playfully.

He swatted her hand away and glared.

"No."

"You're just too cute!"

Hiro blushed, taken aback by her sudden declaration.

"I-I am not."

She giggled as she snapped a picture and the little demon's eyes widened in fear.

"What did you just do?"

Botan frowned in confusion.

"Don't tell me you think a bit of your soul was just sucked in, too…"

He nodded all the while suspiciously eyeing the camera.

"I wonder why every demon seems to think that?" she pondered, before shaking her head and looking down at Hiro comfortingly. "Don't you worry about a thing; you know I wouldn't do anything to put you in danger. This simply takes pictures, not souls."

Hiro crossed his arms over his chest, regaining his composure.

"I wasn't worried. I was just surprised, is all."

"Well then you wouldn't mind taking another one?"

"What?" he blanched.

Botan pouted.

"Please! I want to get as many memories of this place as possible, and that includes you, too!"

"No!" he refused, shaking his head obstinately.

"Oh come on, just one more!" the ferry-girl pleaded.

"I don't want to," he refused, crinkling his nose in disgust.

"Are you afraid?" she taunted, her eyebrows rising slyly.

"I am not!"

"It's nothing to be ashamed of if you are. I completely understand. Even the bravest of warriors have their secret fears and-"

"Fine!" he huffed. "I'll do it."

He stood a ways off and waited for her to make a move.

"Well?" he asked impatiently.

"You have to smile first," Botan instructed sheepishly.

Hiro narrowed his eyes in defiance and Botan bit back a smile.

"Oh alright," Botan relented. "I guess this will just have to do!"

She quickly took the picture and called Hiro over to her side.

"You see? Even when you're frowning you still manage to look so cute!"

She ruffled his hair once again, but he was too busy watching the picture to admonish her.

"Do you like it?"

"It's alright…" he said, tearing his eyes away from the camera. She could tell he was reluctant to admit how fascinated he truly was by the new device.

"Well, how about I let you hold onto this for the rest of the day?"

Botan pushed the camera into his hands and he shook his head.

"No, that's—"

"Of course you'll have to take pictures for me, of things that you find interesting," Botan instructed. "I was getting a bit tired of it, anyway."

"I guess I can do that…" he said as he examined it.

"Oh, I've got the greatest idea!" Botan exclaimed. "Yusuke and the others were going to be training not too far from here! We should go and join them."

Hiro nodded and followed her lead, stopping every once in a while to take pictures of their surroundings. Once they arrived at the site, Botan put her hands on her hips and frowned.

"I was sure this was the place…"

Hiro was too preoccupied with the camera to care, as he pressed various buttons and screened through the photos he had taken.

They continued wandering the forest, in hopes of finding the others, until they spotted a clearing up ahead. The closer they got to the clearing, the more apparent a sleeping figure in the distance became. It was unmistakably Hiei, but she had no clue of why he would be taking a nap in the middle of the forest. He usually slept in trees, not on the ground.

A resounding 'click' brought her out of her thoughts and she turned around to find Hiro standing a good ways away from her, but a great deal closer to Hiei with the camera in his hands.

"Hiro!" Botan whispered warningly, not wanting to wake the sleeping demon. "Come back here!"

"You told me to take pictures. I'm just doing as you said," Hiro replied defiantly as he took a step closer to Hiei.

Botan put a hand on her hips and frowned at him. Apparently the boy had selective hearing and only listened to some of the things she said.

"He doesn't look so good."

"Well that's not a very nice thing to say!"

"No," Hiro answered back shook his head. "He really doesn't look so good. I think he's hurt."

Botan gasped and was over at Hiei's side in an instant. She noticed that his clothes were torn and ragged and his body was bruised all over. She sat down beside him and checked his vitals. His pulse was faint, his breathing was uneven, and she could barely sense his energy.

"Oh Hiei…" she whispered sullenly, swallowing back the lump in her throat as she looked him over. What in the world could have happened to him, she wondered.

She looked around hurriedly for any signs of another demon or ally and nodded. There was no one else around and even if Koenma had forbid it, this was definitely an emergency. Taking a deep breath she concentrated on expelling her energy, hoping it was enough to bring him out of the dangerous condition he was in.

"Come on," she urged, forcing as much energy as she could into Hiei's comatose body. She knew she should have been expending her white magic at a much slower rate, but time was a commodity she didn't have. At this rate, she would be at her limit soon, but she only hoped Hiei would improve before that.

Suddenly, a hand shot up and gripped her arm.

"Stop that," Hiei rasped.

"Hiei, please don't talk!"

"I don't need this," he coughed.

Botan ignored him and continued to expel her energy.

"Woman you're going to-"

"It'll be okay, I promise Hiei. Just stop resisting it," she soothed as she continued the healing process.

Exhaustion took over and his grip on her arm loosened as he fell into unconsciousness once more.

Now that he wasn't fighting it, she was able to fully concentrate on healing him. She closed her eyes and directed all of attentions on Hiei. No matter what, she had to make sure he was out of the critical zone. She owed him her life many times over, this was the least she could do.

Although she could feel the strain on her body, she didn't stop, nor did she slow down. She was beginning to feel a little lightheaded, but that was to be expected. A few moments passed and her energy reserves were already dangerously low. She blinked back the tears that were blurring her vision and tried to steady her hands that were shaking with energy. She knew she should have stopped, but her determination overrode her survival instincts and she pushed herself to the brink. It was only when she felt a hand on her shoulder did she halt her actions.

"Botan you have to stop!" Hiro warned, his eyes narrowed in concern. "If you keep going… it'll be really dangerous."

The ferry-girl smiled weakly at Hiro, checking Hiei's vitals and breathing before sighing in relief.

"He'll be alright," Botan observed wearily.

"Will you?"

"Yes, I'll be fine," she reassured with a weak smile.

* * *

Kurama was sitting down on one of the couches, reading a book. It was only a few hours earlier when he noticed Botan's spirit energy fluctuating. Luckily, he was the first demon to arrive on the scene and she and Hiro were unharmed. Botan had explained the whole situation to him, and Kurama hoisted Hiei onto his back and brought him back to their room.

It was understandable that Hiei had overdone it while trying to master the dragon; the technique was not something amateurs attempted and even someone as skilled as Hiei would have a great deal of trouble learning how to control it. It was even understandable that Botan found him and tried to heal him; she was a very compassionate person and it wasn't out of the norm for her to worry about others.

It was the desperate look on her face that startled Kurama. She looked as though she were ready to both cry and collapse from exhaustion at the same time. Clearly she had the same bad habit as Hiei of overdoing things and she forced herself to give more energy than she could afford to.

The instances that he had witnessed led him to believe that something was going on between those two. It was odd of Hiei to be around anyone, including himself, but those two had a strange habit of being in the same place at the same time. Although he couldn't quite understand it yet, he didn't necessarily oppose it.

His train of thought was interrupted when the door burst open and the rest of the group filed in.

"I totally decked Urameshi in the face, it was great! Did you see it my princess?"

Before Yukina could answer, Yusuke cut in, "Oh shut up Kuwabara, it was just a lucky shot. Besides it was the only hit you got in on me." He gave Kuwabara a look, smirking at Kuwabara's battered clothing and disheveled appearance. "You sure you don't need Yukina to heal you up?"

Kuwabara flexed his muscles and pumped a fist into the air determinedly.

"These bruises are nothing for a man like me."

Shizuru shook her head and guided Yukina away from Kuwabara, who had suddenly decided to go off on a rant about "real men" and "true love".

"Please, try to keep it down," Kurama urged, setting his book down on the table. "Hiei is resting in the other room."

"Shorty's asleep?" Kuwabara asked incredulously, cutting his speech short. "I always pegged him as the type who doesn't sleep at all."

"Hiei needs sleep just as much as the rest of us do," Kurama reminded him.

"Yeah but he's probably so paranoid that he probably sleeps with one eye opened," Kuwabara muttered.

"Actually, he… Kuwabara, where are you going?"

Kuwabara turned around and grinned. "I just want to confirm my suspicions."

"Yusuke, where are you going?" Kurama asked.

"I'm hoping Hiei wakes up and Kuwabara gets his ass kicked for the second time today," Yusuke declared, following suit.

Before Kurama could stop them, the two fighters had already entered the inner chamber. They both looked at each other with wide eyes and gaping mouths when they noticed Hiei wasn't alone. Botan was sitting in a chair at the foot of his bed, her head resting against the bed and she, too was fast asleep.

"It isn't wise to disturb them, they are both very exhausted."

"What the hell is going on?" Yusuke questioned looking back and forth between the sleeping duo and Kurama.

"Yusuke, please," Kurama pressed, motioning to Hiei and Botan. "Keep your voice down."

Upon hearing the commotion, the girls followed suit and entered the inner chamber.

They all held similar looks of shock on their faces as they viewed the scene before them.

"Are they alright?" Keiko asked worriedly, finally breaking the silence.

"Botan said she found Hiei unconscious in the middle of the forest," Kurama explained in a hushed voice. "She used her abilities to heal him, but she must have overexerted herself. She insisted on staying here until he woke up, but I guess the exhaustion took over. They should both be fine after they get the proper amount of rest."

"What could have caused him to get like that? Do you think he got into a fight?" Kuwabara asked.

"He must have been trying to tame the dragon of the darkness flame. It requires a great deal of energy and knowing Hiei, he probably had no intention of stopping until the dragon was under his control. It's a good thing Botan was the one who found him."

"It's a good thing you were the one who found Botan," Yukina added. "Who knows what would have happened if you didn't find her in time, Kurama."

"We were all very fortunate today," Kurama noted.

"Very fortunate, indeed," Shizuru muttered, eyeing Botan's camera on the floor with a smirk. She took the liberty of snapping a few pictures of the sleeping duo before placing it back in its spot beside the foot of Botan's chair. "I sure hope she likes candid photos of herself as much as she likes the ones of us…"

* * *

The sky had taken on an orange glow by the time Botan woke up. It was sunset and she had taken all day to regain her energy. She yawned and stretched her arms out lazily, before taking note of the empty bed before her.

"Hiei!" she called frantically, looking around the room for any signs of the fire demon.

"I'm right here," he answered, jumping off of the windowsill.

"Oh thank goodness," she breathed, placing a hand on her chest. "You're alright."

"Why didn't you listen to me?"

His voice was hard and his eyes examined her coldly.

"Please don't be mad, Hiei…" Botan gulped.

"You're such a foolishly stubborn woman," he muttered. "You can't even see the bigger picture."

"I was only trying to help you."

"I've told you many times before that I don't need your help. I would have been fine had you not shown up," he countered.

Botan swallowed.

"You were hurt badly, I couldn't just-"

"I've lived through worse."

"Even so, I couldn't just leave you there. I didn't know if you would make it."

"If the roles were reversed I would have done exactly that," he answered curtly.

"You're lying. You would never do that, Hiei," Botan shot back firmly.

"That's where you're wrong. Contrary to your beliefs, I'm not a noble person. I barely qualify as a decent being. I wouldn't save you, nor would I expect you to do the same for me."

"How can you say that?" she yelled, angered by his callousness.

"I can say that because whether you live or die makes no difference to me. Perhaps you should do the same."

"No matter what you say, it won't change the way I feel about the situation. It matters to me, why can't you just accept that?"

"Did it matter so much that you were willing to put yourself at risk? What would have happened if your abilities had alerted someone other than Kurama?" he asked, raising his voice a bit.

She could tell he was trying hard to keep his anger in check and she was at a loss for words.

"I…"

"You would have gotten us both killed, along with that little demon brat," he yelled harshly.

Botan's eyes widened in shock upon realizing he was right. She never meant to put anyone in danger, least of all Hiro. While she was upset with herself for being so reckless, she was more upset with Hiei. He was saying such cruel things to her and now he even had the nerve to yell at her for trying to save his life.

"Whether you choose to believe it or not, you were in grave danger today. Excuse me for being bothered enough to care!"

"That isn't your concern!" he shouted fiercely. "You have no right to worry over what happens to me!"

Although the both of them had been yelling, Hiei had been restraining himself, and when he finally let go of that restraint, it startled her. All was quiet for a while until Botan finally spoke up.

"Why isn't it my concern?" she asked quietly. She was clearly shaken by his words, but it was pure hurt and not fear that shone through her eyes. "Why won't you let me help you?"

Hiei contained his anger, keeping his voice at a normal level as he replied, "I am completely capable of handling myself. I don't need you."

"…"

Tears were clouding her vision, but she vowed not to let them fall. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"Just stay away from me from now on," he ordered coldly. "I don't want you interfering with me anymore."

Botan was stunned into silence and Hiei didn't waste any more time before brushing past her and exiting the room.

His words hurt her more than she cared to admit. Sure she had been yelled at before, Koenma and Yusuke did it all the time, but it never got the point where it felt as though her heart was shattering with each word.

She thought they had come past all of this, she honestly thought they were friends. Botan sighed. She was horribly mistaken. Hiei didn't want anything to do with her; in fact she was sure if something horrible happened to her he would be thrilled.

She wanted to hate him, she wanted to loathe him, but she couldn't. All she felt was pain and sadness. It just wasn't fair! She tried so hard to act as though his words weren't having an effect on her, but with each cutting remark she felt something break inside of her.

Botan blinked back the tears unsuccessfully, before giving up and letting them fall. There was no use in trying to stop herself from crying at this point; no one else was there to see her.

By the time she came out of the inner chamber her eyes were red. She didn't even notice Kurama's presence until he spoke to her.

"Are you alright?"

"What?" Botan asked, wiping a few tears away, hoping Kurama would say nothing about it. "I'm perfectly fine, why do you ask?"

"The walls are thin; I heard the whole thing," he confessed.

"Would you mind not telling the others about this? I wouldn't want to upset or worry them," Botan requested, before forcing a smile on her face. "Besides, it's not that big of a deal, anyway."

"Of course," he complied before continuing. "I realize this is a lot to ask of you, but I urge you to try and forgive Hiei. He's going through a very difficult time."

"He is?" she questioned curiously.

Kurama nodded.

"I don't believe it is my place to say any of this, especially when Hiei doesn't seem to realize this for himself, so I will just have to let you figure it out on your own."

"I'm afraid I don't follow," Botan admitted, waiting for him to go on.

"Just don't give up on him, yet," Kurama advised obscurely before retiring to his room.

Botan stared into space for a few moments before finally shaking her head and exiting the room. Kurama always was a cryptic one and if she allowed herself to dwell on every mysterious thing he said, she would probably spend her entire life trying to figure out what he was implying.

She didn't quite understand why he would tell her not to give up on Hiei, but she felt as though it was a lost cause. Any sort of connection that they had between them was shattered and even if there was a way to salvage it, Botan knew she no longer had the option of repairing her relationship with Hiei anymore; it was all in his hands now. She was also absolutely positive that he would never make any attempts at fixing their relationship, but more than anyone else, she wished he would.

* * *

So I've been away from writing for a little while, I'm trying to get back in my groove. I got the opportunity to study abroad for a few weeks in China, for a business program. It was one of the best experiences of my life! Then when I came back to America, the new semester of school was totally kicking my butt. Everything is so hard and there's so much work. And then I recently got some bad news about my eyes, the optometrist found some things wrong with it so I might have to get surgery. I was upset for a while, but I've bounced back and I feel confident that everything will go well!

There's some conflict between our favorite pair, but don't be too angry with Hiei! You'll see why he flew off the handle in the next chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it! Let me know what you thought!

Oh yeah, and a special thanks to all of the reviewers who don't have pennames or didn't sign in! I can't send replies to your reviews and thank you personally, but I am always thankful and happy to see them!


	7. Chapter 7

More Than Anyone Else

"Talking"

'_Thoughts'_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 7

* * *

Hiei found a secluded spot and settled there when he felt he was far enough away from the hotel and the others. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the sight of Botan out of his head. He knew he hurt her and she was probably crying now, but he didn't care.

Or rather, he _shouldn't_ care.

None of it was supposed to bother him and the more he drilled the thought into his head, the more he began to believe it.

Thinking back on the day's events, he really had no reason to regret anything he did.

Although he had taken to calling her a fool many times, he was sure she had some sense left in her, and she of all people should have known how dangerous her actions were. Expending energy at that rate could have killed her, and yet she continued to push herself way beyond her limits.

Aside from the fact that she was being completely reckless, her energy could have attracted more demons to their location, and without him to fend them off, she would have been killed.

She was such a foolish woman. It was only through pure luck that she had survived both scenarios.

Then she had the nerve to wait for him to wake up and dote over him as though he were a child. She continually frustrated him. He wasn't the type of person who needed to be taken care of and yet she continually worried over him as though it were second nature. What he needed the most was to be left alone, but she was everywhere and it was becoming increasingly more difficult to get her out of his head.

Suffice to say, when she had finally woken up, he was angry with her.

But he was even more upset with himself.

If he hadn't been so useless, none of them would be in the situation he was in now.

His physical limitations kept him from mastering the dragon and because of it Botan put herself in danger to protect him.

His emotional weakness, no his illogical inability to severe ties with a mere ferry-girl, also played a part in all of this. If only he had never allowed her to get so close to him; if only he had pushed her away from the start. Then she would have never believed there was something as foolish as friendship developing between the two of them and the false sense of camaraderie that pushed her to save him would no longer be an issue.

Of course he would never admit this to anyone but himself, but his time on Hanging Neck Island was beginning to show him just how defenseless he really was. If he couldn't stave off a mere ferry-girl, then what hopes did he have of defeating an opponent of Toguro's caliber?

It was obvious what he had to do; both the problem and the solution lied with her. Breaking the unfounded bond that had formed between them was the only option he had left, and he would be released from all of these troubling thoughts and emotions. And so, he ignored the slight hesitation he felt when he saw the hurt and tears in her eyes and continued to drive a wedge between them with harsh words and blatant indifference.

Tonight he may be haunted by the image of her holding back her tears, but tomorrow he would no longer be preoccupied with thoughts of her. She would no longer hang around him, and he would focus on nothing but victory. Things would return to the way they were; to the way they were meant to be.

* * *

Botan woke up the next morning a little grumpier than usual. Though it would be logical to blame it on Hiei the events of last night, her irritability was actually a product of Kurama's words.

His unreadable expression, his vague advice, and uncanny habit of knowing everything without actually giving it away had completely thrown her off. She wished he would have left her with more clarity, but then again this was Kurama she was dealing with. She was beginning to understand why Hiei got so crabby whenever Kurama was around.

Botan sighed, shaking thoughts of Hiei and Kurama out of her head as she joined up with the girls, who had been waiting for her. They planned on getting breakfast early enough to meet up with the boys before they left for their training.

Sure enough Yusuke, Kuwabara, and the masked fighter were all in the dining hall. After breakfast, they found Kurama and Hiei having a conversation in the lobby. Although, it wasn't much of a conversation, seeing as Kurama was doing most of the talking and Hiei was standing there with an irritated expression tugging at his features.

"Fancy meeting you two in a place like this," Yusuke joked.

"Good morning," Kurama greeted.

"Hn."

Botan looked at Hiei for any signs of remorse or guilt, but he had that all too familiar indifferent look plastered on his face. When he finally noticed she was staring at him his eyes lingered on hers for a moment, void of any recognition or emotion, before looking the other way.

She hoped he would have given her a nod or something to let her know he acknowledged her presence, but he completely ignored her.

"Alright, so what's the plan for today?" Kuwabara asked the group, breaking Botan out of her daze.

"We decided we would watch the matches for today at yesterday's meeting. If you had been paying more attention rather than practicing love confessions, perhaps you would have remembered that," the masked fighter interjected.

Kuwabara's eyes widened and his eyes wandered to Yukina, who had been engaged in a conversation with Keiko. He let out a sigh of relief when he realized that she hadn't been paying attention, before moving closer to Yusuke and cupping a hand over his mouth.

"Urameshi," he began quietly, "I know we saw underneath her mask so she can't be Genkai, but do you think maybe she could be her granddaughter or something? They're exactly the same!"

Yusuke gave him a shrug before replying, "Hell if I know. I gave up on figuring out who she was ages ago."

"They have the exact same personalities!"

"Yeah, but the masked fighter is hot and Genkai's an old hag," Yusuke snickered.

"I can hear you two, you know," the masked fighter said evenly. "You should focus on honing your skills instead of encouraging such useless babble. You are team captain after all, Yusuke, perhaps its time you started acting like it."

Kurama took note of the way that Yusuke's entire disposition darkened upon hearing a simple insult from their teammate. There was something going on between the masked fighter and Yusuke. Lately, tensions seemed to arise whenever the two were in the same room. It was bad enough that Hiei was having trouble with Botan, but if the team started to fall apart, they would be in big trouble.

"Listen, if you've got something to say, you might as well stop beating around the bush and just say it," Yusuke warned, his eyes narrowed and focused on the petite fighter in front of him.

"I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it, Yusuke," Kurama interjected, stepping into the space between the tense duo. "In any case, I think would be best if we made our way to the stadium, we wouldn't want to miss any of the matches."

"Kurama's absolutely right. We're wasting precious time!" Botan agreed. "Let's just get to the stadium on time."

The two fighters seemed to be at a standstill, until the masked fighter turned away from Yusuke, crossing her arms. To the relief of the others, Yusuke finally tore his gaze away from his teammate and nodded.

"Yusuke, are you alright?" Keiko asked cautiously.

"I'm fine, Keiko. Don't worry about it."

"They're both just too stubborn for their own good, is all," Kuwabara reassured.

Shizuru nodded.

"That's for sure."

"Yeah, yeah, we're two peas in a pod. So are we going or what?" Yusuke questioned, hoping that they would overlook his argument with the masked fighter and focus on something else.

"Yes, it's about time we headed out," Kurama noted.

"I think I'll pass," Hiei said, turning on his heels and walking away without giving anyone a chance to oppose.

"Is it just me or does he seem extra cranky today?" Yusuke questioned to no one in particular.

"Hiei has a lot going on right now. It's best to let him be for now," was all Kurama said in reply.

"Well I'm not worried about him," Kuwabara huffed, turning his nose up in disapproval. "Serves him right; he always goes off by himself and if he gets in trouble that's his fault entirely."

"Kuwabara, I for one am shocked!" Botan exclaimed. "That is a horrible thing to say, especially in front of Yukina!"

Even though Botan was still hurting over what happened with Hiei last night, she couldn't allow Yukina's view of her brother to be tarnished. She only realized her mistake when Yusuke, Kurama, and Shizuru sent looks of shock, warning, or disapproval in her direction. Keiko and Yukina merely looked on in confusion and Kuwabara eyed Botan suspiciously.

"What do you mean?"

"I just meant… Yukina's new to the group!" Botan laughed nervously placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "You shouldn't say things that might slander Hiei's good name in front of her!"

"It's not like I'm saying anything that we weren't all thinking in the first place," Kuwabara muttered with a shrug. "Since when have you become all pro-Hiei! I thought he used to scare the hell out of you?"

Botan's eyes widened in alarm as Yukina looked over to her, but Yusuke quickly jumped in on the scene.

"Let's go, lover-boy, you've caused enough damage for one day," Yusuke said, dragging the orange-haired boy away from the scene. The masked fighter and Kurama followed, making small talk, while the girls picked up the rear. They had decided to watch the next matches together, and then continue their training.

During their trek towards the stadium, Botan was able to fully distract herself from Hiei by enjoying the scenery, teasing the girls, and berating the guys. When they reached the arena and took their seats, however, it was a completely different story. She had completely run out of things to focus on and not even the vicious matches were enough to hold her thoughts.

Botan fully well knew that she shouldn't be thinking of him, especially after he had done such a superb job of ignoring her, but she couldn't help it. She wondered if he was overexerting himself again, or if he would actually try and take it easy today. She wondered if he felt even the slightest bit of remorse over how he treated her last night. She wondered if he would ever attempt to talk to her again. And most of all she wondered why it was so impossible to get the fire demon out of her head.

She let out a loud sigh before covering her face with her hands. She was truly hopeless.

"I'm sorry, Botan. Is our conversation bothering you?" Yusuke mocked.

Botan peeked out from under her fingers only to find Yusuke and the rest of the group staring back at her and immediately regretted her little outburst.

"I'm sure she's just distracted, Yusuke. She simply has a lot on her mind," Kurama filled in.

Botan's heart began to race as she wondered if Kurama was about to blurt out the events of last night for the rest of the group to hear. She opened her mouth to object, but he continued.

"She has her duties as team trainer, assistant to the spirit detective team, and business with Koenma to tend to, isn't that right?"

She nodded gratefully.

"Oh that's right! Speaking of duties, I've actually got a meeting with Koenma right about now!" she said, looking up to the box where Koenma usually resided during the day.

"You must still be tired from yesterday, are you sure you're up for it?" Yukina questioned good-naturedly.

"Oh no, don't worry about that," she said before twiddling her thumbs nervously. "Actually, if you all could do me a favor and keep yesterday's events a secret from Koenma, I'd really appreciate it! He already warned me about using my abilities… and well, I don't want him to know I disobeyed him."

"Of course we'll keep it a secret," Keiko answered.

"Yeah, pacifier-breath doesn't have to know," Yusuke agreed.

"Well, I'm off! See you all later!" Botan waved as she ran off.

* * *

"Good morning, sir!" Botan piped cheerfully as she entered the room.

"It's nice of you to show up this time," Koenma drawled.

Her smile dissolved into a frown as she stared at him in confusion.

"Excuse me?"

"We were supposed to meet up again last night, and I called you multiple times but you didn't even pick up."

Botan's eyes widened as the realization hit her. She recalled the Prince telling her that they had some business to attend to, but Hiro showed up and Koenma decided the meeting could be put off until later. On top of that she had broken the communication device, and she had used her abilities against the Prince's strict orders.

"Please forgive me sir, it completely slipped my mind!" Botan apologized.

"It's nothing urgent, I just wanted to let you know I've taken the liberty of getting your oar fixed up," Koenma informed. "Just remember, it is for emergencies only; it doesn't mean you should be using it anytime soon."

"You have?"

"Yes, it's actually been repair for a while, now. I just kept on forgetting to notify you."

"Well that was awfully nice of you," Botan mused.

"Despite what you and George might say, I am a noble and just ruler, Botan."

"Wait a minute!" she said suddenly, eying Koenma suspiciously. "Couldn't it have waited until after the tournament?"

"You could be a bit more grateful," Koenma stated in mock defense. "I was just trying to do you a favor. You know, an act of goodwill."

"Yes, but we're miles away from Spirit World. What was the point in going through all of that protocol just to get it fixed when you specifically didn't want me using it?"

The Prince remained silent, his gaze cast on the table, rather than the worried woman in front of him.

"Koenma, what's going on?"

"It's nothing for you to be concerned about," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Just don't use that oar or any of your other abilities unless it's an emergency."

"…Are you expecting some sort of an emergency?"

"Botan," he began rubbing his temples. "This really isn't the time for this."

"Well, are you?" she pressed, all sorts of horrible thoughts brewing in her mind.

"Nothing is going on! More importantly, I'd like to know why my calls haven't been getting through."

The ferry-girl blanched as she remembered the state of the device. She searched her pockets for it and gulped when she realized it wasn't in its usual spot. Even if it was broken, she had always kept it on her. She wracked her brain, trying to remember where she could have misplaced while frowning.

"Botan? Are you even listening to me?"

She snapped out of her thoughts with a nervous smile.

"Well the thing is… I sort of took it off and forgot to put it back on. That's why I haven't been receiving any of your calls."

"Alright," he conceded. "Just make sure you remember to leave it on for the remainder of the tournament."

"Got it!" she saluted and let out a breath of relief as she took a seat beside him and they began their usual duties.

* * *

Hiei sheathed his sword, deciding to take a break. It wouldn't do him any good if he exhausted himself and passed out again. Taming the dragon always took more out of him than he would care to admit and a short break would be to his advantage.

He settled in one of the larger branches of the tree before closing his eyes. Sure enough he felt the drowsiness take over. Just as he was about to drift off into sleep, his ears picked up the faintest sound of a scream.

His eyes shot open upon realizing who it was and he leapt off of the tree he had settled in. He was moving on autopilot as he sprinted in the direction of the noise. When he arrived at the scene he saw Botan along with the ogre. They were carrying trays of food and it seemed as though she had dropped hers. He mentally cursed himself for getting so worked up over nothing. He should have known she would make a ruckus over something so foolish.

"It's alright, Botan," the blue ogre soothed. "It's just food."

"This was Lord Koenma's meal! You know how cranky he gets when he can't have his squid-on-a-stick!" Botan cried, looking down at the mess.

"Is that really the cause of your distress?"

Botan sighed and shook her head.

"No, it's a combination of things, really."

"So what's the problem?"

"It's just that…" Botan took a deep breath before continuing, "Hiei's ignoring me, Kurama is confusing me, and Koenma is definitely hiding something important from me!"

Hiei's eyes narrowed upon hearing her confession. She should have been so angry that she wanted nothing to do with him. Instead, she was troubled and hurt over his treatment of her.

"Well, I can't say much for Kurama and Hiei, but I'm sure whatever it is that Koenma is keeping from you is for your own good."

"I appreciate his concern but I-" Botan paused eying the ogre suspiciously. "You know what's going on, don't you?"

"We should really hurry back to Koenma with these; wouldn't want him getting cranky, now," he replied nervously before taking off.

Botan ran off after him, leaving the food forgotten all the while yelling about how unfair they all were. It was only after she had left did he notice Kurama standing a little ways off.

"Great just what I needed; a meddlesome fox," Hiei gritted.

Kurama had been pestering him earlier on in the lobby, saying that perhaps Hiei had taken the wrong course of action in dealing with the ferry-girl. It figures the fox was listening to their argument yesterday.

He even had the audacity to claim that Hiei's anger stemmed not from his dislike for the woman; it was a product of something else entirely. It didn't take long for Hiei to figure out what exactly Kurama was getting at. He thought that Hiei had become attached to her… that he had actually cared.

Of course Hiei assumed Kurama had gone insane, perhaps the pressure of this tournament had finally gotten to him, but then again Kurama was one of those who excelled in stressful situations. The reason he couldn't get her out of his head wasn't because he _cared_it was because…

Well, he wasn't exactly sure why it was, but in any case none of this was Kurama's business, so Hiei had no clue why he continued to meddle.

"Seems you and I had the same idea," Kurama said finally.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Hiei replied stiffly.

Kurama merely shook his head.

"How long do you expect to keep this up?"

"Keep _what_ up?"

"Your stubborn and quite foolish resolution to avoid Botan at all costs," Kurama replied.

"There is nothing foolish about it. This is the way things should be."

"If that was the case you wouldn't go running to her aid the moment you noticed something wrong."

Hiei rolled his eyes.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Hiei. In fact widening your circle of friends is a good thing."

"Kurama you know that I do not care for such things."

The redhead let out a laugh.

"All I'm asking you to do is reconsider."

"I don't understand why you insist on-"

"It's because you are my friend, and I can see that you're making a grave mistake. You'll only end up hurting her more like this."

"If you care for her so much then why don't you go to her side?"

"Is that really what you want?"

"Yes." '_No.'_

Kurama shook his head knowingly.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," Hiei replied tightly. "Maybe then you two could pester each other and leave me the hell alone."

He turned around and walked away gruffly, leaving Kurama alone in the forest.

* * *

By the time Hiei returned to the hotel it was already nightfall. He had hoped that Kurama would bite his tongue and hold back on his infamous 'sage advice' at least for the remainder of the night. The fire demon had a rough day of training due to the fact that he was making no progress in taming the dragon and because a certain woman kept on plaguing his thoughts. As he was walking down the hallway towards his room, he noticed the girls entering their room.

"Hello Hiei," Yukina greeted, upon spotting him.

Hiei gave her a nod, noting the appearance of the oaf's sister and the detective's woman. The only one missing was the ferry-girl. He briefly wondered where Botan was, before eliminating the thought. It wasn't as though he particularly cared, anyway.

"Botan is still working with Koenma, I haven't seen her since this morning," Yukina clarified suddenly, causing Hiei to frown a bit.

"I didn't ask."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just assumed you might have wanted to talk to her."

"There's no need to apologize," Hiei told her, before turning to walk away.

"Please wait!"

Hiei stopped.

"I know you probably don't want to hear this, but please don't strain yourself. It would make everyone unhappy, and I'm sure Botan would take it the hardest."

He watched her carefully, wondering why she would even be so interested in his well-being, before remembering who exactly he was dealing with; this was the same pure and gentle girl who had been exploited and mistreated and yet still had the ability to put her trust in others and to care for complete strangers. She was his sister, and even if she didn't know that he was her brother, she still worried about him. She was a lot like Botan in that way.

"I'll try to take your advice," Hiei said, trying his best not to sound rude or gruff. He watched as she nodded appreciatively before slipping into the room.

First Kurama and now even his own sister was worried about the relations between himself and the ferry-girl. He just couldn't get a moment of peace.

As he entered the inner chamber he noticed something he hadn't seen before. Lying at the foot of his bed was a communication mirror and another device. While he had seen the communication mirror multiple times, he had never witnessed the second object before. He picked up the contraption and pressed a few buttons experimentally. He was surprised to find images of the island, the women, the demon child, Koenma, and the ogre appear on the screen.

As he continued to go through the pictures, he saw something that surprised him. There was an image of him when he was unconscious. The next image consisted of Botan looking over him worriedly. Hiei realized the child must have taken these while Botan was healing him.

His eyes scanned over the image of Botan trying desperately to heal him and he frowned. The mixture of concern and sorrow that tugged at her features caused a tightening in his chest. He remembered that brief moment when he had woken up and tried to stop her from tending to him. Despite his blurred vision and hazy recollections, he couldn't forget the tears in her eyes and the determination that shone through the sadness. She was trying so hard to save him, but he pushed her away.

Perhaps he made the wrong decision after all.

Pushing her away was having adverse effects on him, and his initial hopes of forgetting about her had backfired. Pushing her away hadn't caused her to hate him, instead she was hurt by his treatment and she appeared to be troubled over it. He should have known that someone like her could never bring herself to stop giving a damn about him. His efforts were all in vain and it seemed like no matter what he did, he would always end up doing the wrong thing.

He looked down at the image on the screen once again and frowned before setting it back on the floor in its original spot. Thoughts of burning the device to a crisp or slicing it up into pieces crossed his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Just like he couldn't bring himself to keep away from _her_.

* * *

"Koenma, this is hardly fair! I swear I can keep a secret, so why won't you tell me?"

"Botan, you're the biggest blabbermouth in all three worlds," Koenma shot back knowingly. "Besides, I'm not keeping it from you because I don't trust you; it's simply protocol.

"Protocol? Protocol! You told George about it, and I'm your top ferry-girl! What sort of protocol is that?"

"You told her, ogre?" Koenma questioned, rounding on his subordinate with narrowed eyes.

"Sir, I didn't tell her a thing! I promise!" the ogre swore, putting his hands up in defense.

"Unfortunately, he's telling the truth," Botan pouted. "You're all doing a wonderful job in your little keep-it-a-secret-from-Botan game."

The elevator came to a stop and the bell signaled that they had reached the destined floor.

"Ah, here's your stop," Koenma said cheerfully, practically pushing the ferry-girl out.

Botan huffed as she stepped out of the elevator.

"Don't forget that we're going to meet up with Yusuke to see his spirit beast hatch tomorrow."

"I won't," she answered sourly.

"And don't forget to leave your communication mirror on!" Koenma called out as an afterthought before the doors closed.

"Communication mirror," she echoed lamely. "Right…"

Botan frowned, rolling her eyes upward in thought as she wondered where on earth it could be. She couldn't remember seeing the thing all day, meaning she must have misplaced it yesterday. It could have fallen out sometime during the events of the day prior; that would be troublesome. She had been all over the island over the course of yesterday and it could be anywhere by now. The last place she had been, before retiring back into her own room, was in the boys' room. Perhaps she lost it when she fell asleep in there.

Botan stood up with a nod, hoping that was the case. It was worth a shot, and it would certainly be a lot easier to find.

She walked down the hallway and stopped at Hiei and Kurama's door. She opened the door, trying to make as little noise as possible, before tiptoeing over to Hiei's door. Although it was late, she had hoped Hiei wasn't in his room. No matter how much she wanted to see him and work things out, there was still that horrible thought in the back of her mind that no matter what she said, the damage between them was irreparable. She braced herself before knocking on the door hesitantly; awaiting any sort of indication that someone was on the other side.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she was met with silence on the opposite side of the door. As soon as she entered the room, her eyes wandered to the foot of the bed.

"Found it!" Botan exclaimed as she kneeled down to pick it up. Her camera was even there, too! She picked it up and clutched it to her chest, smiling brightly.

"Woman."

Botan let out a startled gasp, nearly dropping the items in her hands. Her eyes widened in horror as she turned around slowly, and her heart sunk when she saw Hiei standing near the door.

"I was only looking for the-"

"I don't care."

Botan frowned.

"Don't do that again," Hiei ordered.

"I'm sorry, that was terribly rude of me. I really shouldn't have entered without permission," she apologized.

"That's not what I was talking about."

"Oh."

She frowned upon realizing what he meant. The room was silent for a while, and she contemplated whether or not it would be a good idea to get everything off of her chest. It could potentially erupt into another fight, but he had to know how she really felt.

"I'm afraid I can't do as you say," she admitted. "I would never be able to leave any of you alone if I knew you were in danger. I can't just switch my feelings off. I know you probably don't understand why I'm like this, but I wish you would just try."

He remained silent and she wondered if he was quiet because he had nothing to say, or if he was merely trying to control his temper and bite back the harsh words that were about to come out. Either way, she wasn't sure if she would get another chance to talk to him, so she had to let it all out now.

"I'm sorry if I worried you… or if I just angered you. I only wanted to help."

"Hn."

"And I'd do it all over again, if I had the chance."

He got up and made his way over to the door.

"Wait, Hiei! Where are you going?"

"To eat."

Her stomach growled and she realized she hadn't had any food all day. After dropping Koenma's meal, she had given him hers as a peace offering.

"That's what happens when you foolishly dispatch all of your energy without properly taking care of yourself."

She relocated her gaze to the floor. He was right; as usual she acted without thinking. She had to take better care of herself, especially when she was in a place filled with so much danger. She really was a fool.

A sigh broke through the silence, and she looked up to see Hiei still standing there. She was sure he would have left her already, but there he was.

"Let's go."

Botan's eyes widened upon realizing what his words implied. He was actually inviting her to go with him, together.

"Hiei…" she breathed, unable to believe what she just heard. He opened his mouth to speak, but she quickly cut in. "Don't say another word! I'm coming!"

She was careful not to say anything during their walk down the hallway. It wouldn't do her any good if she got him upset and he decided to retract his invitation. She almost giggled at the thought of having a nice meal with Hiei, alone and without the others. It would certainly be something new.

They arrived at the double doors leading to the dining hall. Botan peered through the small windows of the door, and frowned. It was dark and no one was inside.

Hiei pushed the doors experimentally, frowning when they didn't budge.

"I forgot the kitchens close at a certain time; we must be too late," she concluded wistfully.

"Hn."

"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait until morning," Botan sighed, looking back to Hiei. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw what he had planned. "Hiei what are you doing!"

The demon had forcefully pushed past the doors, leaving them broken and unusable. He entered the dining hall casually, making his way towards the kitchen.

"Hiei, I know you're used to breaking the law, but this isn't right!" Botan chastised as she followed suit.

"At this point, I don't really care," Hiei retorted, breaking the doors leading to the kitchen and entering inside.

"You might not care, but we could get into big trouble for this!"

Hiei flicked the lights on before giving her an uninterested look. "I'm sure I can handle a few humans, woman. Trust me."

"I know, but it just doesn't feel right."

"You're hungry and I'm hungry. We both need food," he countered simply.

"And if all of the workers are asleep, who exactly do you think is going to make this food for us?" Botan huffed.

Hiei only looked at her and immediately she knew what he was up to.

"Oh no, mister! I refuse to be your partner in crime. I'm sure Kurama would be highly upset if he found out that you were even thinking of replacing him!" Botan crossed her arms and stuck her nose up in the air.

"I suppose I'll just have to find one of the cooks, then," Hiei retorted, the jagan eye beginning to glow.

"You wouldn't dare!" she gasped in disbelief.

"Try me," Hiei dared, the look in his eyes indicating that he was serious.

Botan gave him a wary look before relenting with a sigh.

"Fine, I'll do it!"

Hiei smirked.

"You're not a very nice person, Hiei," Botan said as she removed her camera from around her neck and set it down on the counter. "And just to warn you, I'm not an expert chef so don't expect a five star meal!"

"I do not require anything fancy."

"You could say 'please' or something," Botan muttered under her breath as she rolled up her sleeves. "After all, I am doing you a favor, here."

"Just make it edible," he ordered before leaving the kitchen and taking a seat in the dining hall. She watched as he retreated and her frown turned into a smile. Botan would have been angry with anyone else for forcing her to cook, but she couldn't bring herself to be mad at Hiei. In fact, she was the happiest she had been all day.

It was a bit strange, the way her mood seemed to depend upon him. Lately, everything was centered on him; her thoughts, her actions, her feelings. She didn't exactly understand it, but the way she felt when she was around him was something she didn't want to question. It felt good. It felt right.

Of course Botan cared about all of her friends, but with Hiei it was different. There was something about their relationship that she couldn't quite put her finger on, an unknown factor of sorts. There was something special about the way she felt for him; she couldn't exactly characterize their relationship as the typical friendship she held with say, Yusuke or Kuwabara. She had certainly never felt this way about any of her other friends.

The extent to which she cared about him, the way he always seemed to make things right, the way her heart ached when she thought of losing him. It was almost as if she had serious romantic feelings for him.

It was then that revelation hit her and Botan let out a startled cry.

"What is it?"

Botan turned to see Hiei at the threshold of the door and her expression softened at the sight of him. Just that one look from him was enough to make her heart skip a beat and suddenly it became painfully obvious why her relationship with Hiei was so different from her other relationships with the others: she _liked_ Hiei.

"Woman," Hiei pressed on, wondering why she was looking at him like that.

"It's nothing! I'm fine!" Botan said hurriedly, forcing a sheepish grin on her face. "Now, you go back out there and wait patiently. The food will be ready soon."

* * *

Hiei strummed his fingers on the table impatiently. As he waited for Botan's arrival with the food more and more disturbing questions floated from the back of his mind to the forefront of his thoughts, and the longer he waited, the deeper his frown became.

Why was he constantly running to her aid?

Why was it so hard for him to stay away from her?

Why did the thought of Kurama and the woman give him this horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach?

And why was she staring at him like that? He didn't like it at all; it made him feel uncomfortable.

His eyes narrowed; more upset with himself than anyone else.

"Tada, dinner is served!" Botan exclaimed jubilantly as she exited the kitchen with two plates in her hand, pulling him from his thoughts.

Hiei watched as she set it down with pride.

"This is a human dish called spaghetti," Botan explained. "It's the quickest and easiest thing I could come up with."

He recognized it instantly; Kurama's mother had insisted he stay for dinner and this was exactly what she prepared.

"I've had this before," he revealed and her face brightened.

"Really? Do you remember if you liked it or not?"

"It was fit for consumption," was all he responded with before beginning to eat.

She followed suit, stopping every few moments to gage Hiei's reaction.

"Is there a reason why you keep staring at me?" he questioned suddenly.

Botan blushed.

"I was just wondering… if you liked it."

"Hn."

"Well?" she asked expectantly.

"There is nothing wrong with it, if that's what you were worried about."

"I suppose that's the closest thing I can get to a compliment from you," Botan mused with a smile as she continued her meal. Hiei had already finished by the time she was done.

"You can have more, if you'd like. I didn't know how much I should make," Botan suggested and upon Hiei's nod, she went back into the kitchen to get him another helping. When she came back out carrying Hiei's plate, he noticed that she had brought that picture taking device with her, too. He initially thought nothing of it as he started eating his second helping. It was only until he heard a 'click' and saw a flash of light that he realized why she even bothered to bring it out in the first place.

He stopped eating and glared at her.

"Get rid of that thing before I do it for you," he warned.

"I'm sorry, I just want to document everything that I do on this island and I haven't even taken a single picture all day!"

"I don't care. I refuse to be recorded on that thing."

"Okay, no more pictures, I promise!" she said hurriedly. "I'll just look through my repertoire."

She began looking over the multitude of photos she had taken, smiling at all of the candid shots she had managed to take of the others. She frowned when she saw the picture that Hiro had taken of Hiei during his unconscious state and wondered if she should delete it before thinking otherwise. The point of her pictures was to preserve the memories, and even if this one brought painful feelings to the surface, it was all a part of her experience on this island.

She wasn't prepared for the picture after that, however, and couldn't hold in the gasp that had made its way out of her mouth.

"What is it?"

Hiei took notice of the faint blush that stained her cheeks and the way that her eyes avoided him at all costs.

"Woman?"

She shook her head, refusing to answer. Before she even registered it, he had already snatched the camera out of her hand and examined the image.

"What is the meaning of this?"

It was another image of himself and Botan, only this time they were both asleep.

"I honestly don't know!" Botan answered truthfully. "It must have been one of the others who took this one."

"Remove it."

"Why?" her expression softened. "It's kind of cute now that I think about it."

"Everything is cute to you," he scoffed, placing the camera down on the table roughly.

"And everything is weak and obsolete to you," Botan countered.

"Hn."

She looked back at Hiei and to his surprise, she began to chuckle.

"What is it?"

"You've got some tomato sauce on your…" she motioned towards his face.

Hiei made a motion to wipe it off but only smeared it more.

"Here, let me help," she said picking up her napkin and wiping it off for him.

He froze at the initial contact, realizing their sudden proximity. She was overstepping her boundaries, again. He could have taken care of it himself, of course, but she never missed a beat when it came to taking care of others.

"There, all clean."

It was then that she noticed how close they were and she blushed before leaning back to her side of the table.

"Hiei can I ask you something?"

"You just did," he pointed out.

"I mean, something else?" she clarified.

He nodded.

"Why is alright for you boys to put yourself in danger, but the moment I try to help you push me away?"

"You aren't suited for battle, or anything dangerous for that matter," he replied simply.

"I'm not completely useless," she said lamely.

"I never said you were," Hiei answered evenly.

Botan beamed upon hearing his simple statement, unable to contain her infectious smile.

Although there were many things that left him confused and caused him to question his own actions, there was one thing that he was certain of: he liked it better when she smiled, and more than anyone else, he wanted to be the reason behind it.

* * *

So it took sixteen pages of nonsense for our favorite pair to get back on track. I'm not too happy with how this chapter turned out. I feel like it ended abruptly, but I don't care! I just wanted to publish something to let you guys know that I'm still working on this story! I might possibly go over this chapter and edit in the future, but for now just bear with me.

I do have reasons for taking so long, but I don't want to be long-winded so all I'll say is that there was a death in the family, I was out of the country, and of course… finals had my school life as hectic as ever.

I'm finished with finals, so that's one big obstacle out of the way. Of course the grieving process is still occurring, but I have such amazing friends and family and we've all just been coming closer together and pulling through.

Thanks again for all of the reviews. I'm very thankful for each and every one of them. I hope you guys liked this chapter!


	8. Chapter 8

More Than Anyone Else

"Talking"

'_Thoughts'_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

A/N: Hey! I hope you guys are enjoying your summer! Thanks for all of the wonderful feedback, as always, it's much appreciated. Without further ado, here's the next installment.

Chapter 8

* * *

Botan awoke to the sounds of a strangled cry and a crash. As she bolted from her bed and looked to the source of the noise, she was greeted with the sight of a slightly battered Kuwabara and an annoyed Shizuru. Yukina looked on as well, unsure of what to do – she didn't want to tend to Kuwabara and face Shizuru's wrath, after all – while Keiko shook her head knowingly, as if she had already expected this to happen.

"Um… is everything alright, guys?" Botan asked hesitantly as she stepped further into the room.

Shizuru absentmindedly flicked some hair over her shoulder before turning to face Botan.

"Everything's fine. I just had to help Kazuma come crashing back into reality, literally."

"Yeah but did you have to do it so hard?" Kuwabara asked, standing up and brushing himself off.

Botan looked on in mild confusion, wondering what could have caused this particular argument until Keiko spoke up.

"Don't bother trying to make sense of it; you already know how the two of them are," the brunette urged with a smile. "This is just one of the many ways Shizuru shows she cares."

"I suppose you're right," Botan noted with a smile as she watched Yukina walk over to Kuwabara to make sure he was alright.

"More importantly, I'd love to hear an explanation as to why you came back into the room at such a late hour," Shizuru questioned, bringing the rest of the room's attention to the ferry-girl.

Botan flushed as she remembered last night. She and Hiei had managed to patch things up, they had a very late dinner together, and she even came to terms with the reality of her feelings for Hiei.

She _liked_ him.

Just the sound of it was enough to make her blush.

Even after sleeping on it, she came to the conclusion that her thoughts from last night were in fact true, and not a result of temporary insanity. Somehow, over the course of their time on Hanging Neck Island, she had developed feelings for the fire demon. Initially, he was just a reclusive member of the team, but as the Dark Tournament progressed she began to see a new side of him. Maybe all of his time spent around Yusuke and Kurama had caused him to change or maybe this new side of him had always been there, buried beneath his guarded heart. Either way, she liked the person he was. There were so many instances where he had displayed that he was more than just the cold front he put up, like the way he watched over Yukina, the times he had saved her, and the surprising occasions when he had been the only one able to turn her mood around.

"Wow, that's the longest I've ever seen Botan stay quiet," Kuwabara observed, breaking the silence that had enveloped the room.

"Those late night sessions with Koenma turning into something more?" Shizuru probed with a devious smirk.

"It was nothing of the sort!" Botan sputtered. "That's completely unprofessional… and just plain weird!"

"You know what they say: the forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest," Shizuru probed.

"That's an awful saying!" Botan exclaimed crinkling her nose in disgust. "Besides I was with Hiei, anyway!"

She immediately wished she hadn't said anything as four pairs of eyes widened in disbelief.

"What I meant to say was…" Botan began, trying to think up an explanation and salvage the situation. "You see, we were both… and I… but he…"

"Whoa, slow down and start from the beginning," Kuwabara urged. "You and shorty were doing _what_ exactly?"

"It was nothing indecent! We were just having a meal together, that's all…" the ferry-girl trailed off.

"At such a late hour? I thought the kitchens closed at a certain time," Keiko questioned.

Botan smiled sheepishly.

"They were closed, but Hiei sort of broke in anyway and ordered me to make something."

"Typical Hiei," Kuwabara huffed.

"No! It wasn't like that at all," Botan defended. "I mean… he was nice enough to ask me to accompany him and he was a perfect gentleman the whole time!"

"Wait a minute, hamster legs asked _you_ to go with _him_?" he cut in, suddenly wondering if he was in an alternate dimension or something of the sort.

Botan nodded.

"Yes."

"Together?" he emphasized.

Once again, the ferry-girl nodded.

"That's right."

"And he didn't threaten you… or use his freaky third eye, or anything?" Kuwabara asked.

"Of course not!" Botan confirmed, a bit annoyed that Kuwabara would even think such a thing. "Despite what you may think, Hiei is a very honorable and decent man."

Kuwabara crossed his arms.

"We must be talking about two different Hiei's, cause from where I'm standing the only one I see is the smug, selfish, sadistic one."

"That's just because you don't know him like I do. There is more to him than that," Botan insisted, putting her hands on her hips. "Honestly, Kuwabara, he's your teammate! The least you could do is put a little bit more faith in him."

"I think I'll pass on that one," Kuwabara replied nonchalantly.

Botan only rolled her eyes in response.

"So was there any point to your visit, or did you just come to systematically annoy every one of us until we kicked you out?" Shizuru asked her younger brother.

"Actually, I just had to get out of that room," Kuwabara answered. "Lately, Yusuke and the masked fighter have been at each other's throats. I'd much rather be in here with my lovely Yukina than in there with them."

"They're still having trouble getting along?" Keiko questioned, a worried frown tugging at her features.

Kuwabara nodded.

"I hope they work it out soon," Botan muttered fearfully. "If the team can't even pull together, how can we expect to defeat any of the upcoming matches?"

"I don't know, Botan," Kuwabara sighed before looking over to the ice-maiden. "Anyway, I wanted to know if Yukina would like to have breakfast with me."

"I would like that very much, Kazuma," Yukina answered before turning to the others. "Will you all be coming as well?"

Behind the koorime and out of her sight, Kuwabara vigorously shook his head in disapproval towards the others but Shizuru smirked.

"Breakfast sounds great right about now, thanks for the invitation, Yukina."

Kuwabara shoulders slouched in defeat as both Keiko and Shizuru made their way towards the door.

"You better hurry up if you wanna come, too, Botan," Kuwabara noted, motioning towards her pajamas and disheveled appearance. "Unless you don't mind looking like that in public."

"You guys go on ahead, I'll be there shortly!" Botan promised.

"Alright, we'll see you there," Keiko replied with a wave.

"Yeah, the more the merrier," Kuwabara grumbled before closing the door behind him.

* * *

As soon as he had woken up, the fire demon was questioned by Kurama. The inquisitive demon asked a plethora of questions, all centering on Hiei's whereabouts last night. Hiei merely brushed him off, fully well knowing that the fox knew exactly _where_ he was and _who_ he was with. He was just too curious for his own damn good, Hiei concluded, upon exiting the room and stepping out into the empty hallway.

There was nothing on the agenda for today and Hiei had already decided that he would dedicate the day to training, as usual.

None of them could afford to slack off, but it seemed as though that was the only thing that Yusuke and Kuwabara excelled at. And with the appearance of his sister, the only thing that the oaf cared about was his foolish notions of love. It made Hiei's blood boil. If they didn't need him as their fifth member, he would have killed him already.

A voice interrupted his thoughts on his way towards the elevator. He wasn't surprised when he cocked his head to the side to see who it was.

"Good morning, Hiei!" Botan said cheerily as she waved at him. "You're looking as angry as ever this morning. Is there something on your mind?"

Of course it was her; it was always her.

He nodded in response as he continued to head on over to the elevator.

"I was contemplating all of the possible torturous and excruciating ways to murder Kuwabara when this is all over," he revealed, taking pleasure in the way her eyes widened upon hearing his confession.

"Hiei! He's your teammate!"

"I said: when this is all over," he repeated. "Meaning when we are no longer allies."

"Will you two ever learn to play nice?" she questioned before shaking her head. "Don't bother answering, I already know the answer to that question… and I went through all of that trouble trying to get Kuwabara to see you in a different light, too!"

"You did what?"

"Oh, Kuwabara was in our room this morning and I was trying to explain to him that you weren't as bad as he made you out to be. I didn't want Yukina getting the wrong idea, after all. So I told him all about how you invited me to dinner with you and how you were a complete gentleman throughout the whole thing."

"You told him about last night?" Hiei pressed.

Botan realized her mistake and she bit her lip.

"Woman, were you born with some sort of ailment that makes you blabber everything?"

"I'm starting to believe that that's the case! Oh why can't I keep my big mouth shut?" she whined, mentally berating herself as they waited for the elevator to reach their floor.

If it had been a few days earlier he would have yelled at her or insulted her, but now he noticed how upset she was. She seemed to be taking it harder than him, and so he decided to refrain from speaking about the subject and let it be.

They entered the elevator in silence and for all of ten seconds they hadn't spoken. Hiei was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and he noticed the unsubtle glances Botan had sent his way. Finally, she was incapable of holding it in anymore and broke the silence.

"Hiei, I'm really sorry. I just wanted Kuwabara to understand you a bit more. You both should be able to trust and rely on each other, especially under these circumstances."

"I don't care about what that fool thinks of me," Hiei countered. "You don't have to defend me."

"And what about Yukina?"

"What about her?"

"Well, you don't want her to be influenced by someone else's preconceived notions, do you?"

"It doesn't matter."

They were interrupted when the dim lights flickered and the elevator's already sluggish speed slowed down. Soon enough the lights were stifled and all was quiet.

Botan let out a startled gasp and he could have sworn he heard her whimper.

"What is it?" he questioned.

"I," she began, quietly. "I sort of have a problem with…"

"With what?" he questioned, picking up on the distress that had laced her tone.

She remained uncharacteristically quiet and Hiei couldn't tell if it was because she was embarrassed, ashamed, or genuinely afraid. Even in the darkness he could see the fear in her amethyst eyes. Her heart was racing and he could sense the terror emanating off of her in waves.

Suddenly, the elevator came to an abrupt halt and Botan was pushed forward. Hiei caught her effortlessly, before studying her at a closer range.

His grip on her shoulders tightened as her and looked into her eyes, searching for any signs of recognition. It was then that he noticed her breathing was irregular; it was almost as if the fear was choking her. Whatever it was that was bothering her was causing her to panic and if this kept up she would faint.

Obviously this was no normal fear. This was something much more troublesome.

"Breathe, woman," he ordered.

She made no indication of even hearing him and he shook her again.

"Are you listening to me? Snap out of it and breathe."

Her eyes widened as she broke out of her stupor. Without thinking about the consequences of her actions, she closed the space between them and hooked her arms around his torso, squeezing her eyes shut in a lame attempt to make herself feel better.

"What are you doing?"

His hands gripped at her shoulders, ready to detach himself from her, but she spoke up.

"Please don't be mad at me," Botan pleaded as she clung onto him desperately. "Just let me stay like this for a bit longer."

Hiei should have pulled her off of him. He should have told her to let go. He should have moved to the other side of the elevator, but he didn't. Instead he sighed and resigned himself. She was too afraid and to his complete and utter disgust, he _almost_ did not want to let go of her.

It was reminiscent of their encounter in the forest, when his taunting became too much and he nearly kissed her. He found himself wondering what it would have felt like if they weren't interrupted by the detective and with her pressed against him so closely, it was becoming increasingly harder to get rid of such thoughts. If she tilted her head upwards, surely he would be able to—

The lights came back on and the elevator started with a jump as it continued its descent towards their floor.

She remained quiet as the doors opened up, wasting no time in unhinging herself from him and getting out of the elevator.

"Well, I better be on my way. Keiko and the others are probably wondering what's taking so long, and it isn't proper to keep others waiting!" Botan said hurriedly as she turned on her heels and prepared to walk off.

"Woman," Hiei started, causing her to freeze in her tracks. "I demand to know what that was."

Botan turned around with a nervous smile.

"You don't really want to hear about my silly little issues, do you?"

He gave her a look that indicated otherwise and she sighed.

"I sort of have a problem with confined spaces…" she began hesitantly, her gaze downcast. "I know you probably don't understand, but the thought of being trapped terrifies me."

"Claustrophobia," he scoffed. "How foolish."

"It's not foolish!" she shot back with a frown. "I should have known you wouldn't understand."

"Of course I don't understand," Hiei replied. "There was nothing there that could have hurt you."

She opened her mouth to reply, but he had already continued.

"Nothing aside from me," he added as an afterthought.

"I suppose you're right," Botan conceded before eyeing Hiei suspiciously. "And you wouldn't have hurt me, so there was no real danger back there, right?"

"I can't make any promises," he replied with a smirk.

To his surprise she only smiled knowingly, as if she already knew he was bluffing.

"I know it's irrational, but there's just something about cramped spaces that make me uneasy. Just the thought of being confined in there…" she trailed off uncertainly, glancing back at the elevator. She then turned to Hiei with a smile and continued with a shrug, "I guess I'll be taking the stairs from now on."

He only nodded before turning around and making his way towards the exit. He had his hand on the doorknob when Botan interrupted.

"Hiei, wait!" she urged. "I've never told any about my fear before… and well, I hope we can keep this between us."

"You already know that I'm not one to talk vainly."

"That is true," she relented. "Well, thanks for helping me out back there… I don't know what I would have done if you weren't there."

Hiei nodded.

"Well, I'll leave you to go train. I'll see you later," Botan said with a smile.

Hiei watched as she made her way towards the dining room before going his way. Although he had brushed off her fear, it certainly didn't surprise him. She was a free spirit, the fact that she was afraid of being closed in didn't seem so farfetched to him.

* * *

Botan finally made her way into the dining hall and joined the others. It wasn't even noon yet, and the day was already taking a turn for the worst. What if Hiei thought she was a weakling now? Her fear definitely couldn't have left a good impression on a fearless demon such as him.

Then again, he didn't push her away when she was scared and he did promise that he would keep her claustrophobia a secret, so maybe he didn't hold it against her.

Perhaps he understood.

She smiled at the thought and decided not waste anymore time worrying about it. If what she believed about Hiei was true, then their little encounter wouldn't change a thing between them and he definitely wouldn't hold it against her.

Breakfast went on as smoothly as it could, and the Kuwabara siblings only had one argument during the course of the meal, although it was more of Shizuru berating Kuwabara and Kuwabara muttering something under his breath. Once Yukina was finished eating, Kuwabara asked her if she would like to take a walk around the shore, and he was delighted when the rest of the girls decided to allow the duo to go alone.

"Now that my idiot brother's gone, we can finally talk. I want to hear a detailed account of last night," Shizuru ordered.

"There isn't much to tell," Botan said as she picked at the leftover fruits in her plate. "We ate and then we left."

"Oh come on, something more had to have happened! It's not every day that Hiei asks someone to join him," Keiko noted. "It almost sounded like a date from the way you described it."

"A-a date?" Botan stammered nervously, her heart rate suddenly picking up. "You really think so?"

Keiko nodded.

"I'm sure Hiei wouldn't classify it with such terms, but it had all of the necessary criteria."

A blush spread across Botan's cheeks and Shizuru smirked.

"Spill the beans, reaper. I'm sure something more must have happened."

"Well, I did have a revelation of sorts," Botan confessed slowly.

"About?" Shizuru urged.

"My feelings for Hiei," the ferry-girl revealed quietly. She couldn't keep the truth from them; knowing her, she would end up blabbing it out and she would rather they heard the truth from her, out of her own volition, rather than a slip of the tongue. Besides, they were her friends and they ought to know the truth, right?

"I think I'm starting to fall for him."

It was quiet for a few moments and the silence was driving her up the wall. Why weren't they saying anything? Did they disapprove? Did they think she was insane?

"Okay," Shizuru said with a nod.

"_Okay_?" Botan echoed. "That's all you can say?"

"We're on an island surrounded by demons with all sorts of strange powers, our loved ones are fighting for their lives, we've befriended the grim reaper, and the ruler of the Spirit World is a toddler in disguise," Shizuru said nonchalantly. "Anything seems possible at this point."

Keiko nodded, coming out of her stupor.

"Shizuru's right; when you put it in terms like that, your attraction to Hiei is completely natural. I mean, you have been spending a lot of time with him and you've gotten to know him much better, right?" Keiko added with a smile.

Botan nodded slowly upon hearing the accepting words of her friends.

"That's right."

"And to think, the very first night we were here he threatened to kill you. It sure is funny how things turn out," Shizuru mused. "If Yusuke and Kuwabara got wind of this they would probably—"

"You absolutely cannot say a word to anyone!" Botan exclaimed hurriedly. "I don't know what I'd do if any of the others found out… especially Hiei!"

"Your secret's safe with us, but you do know what you're getting yourself into, don't you?" Keiko asked hesitantly.

"I'm well aware of the fact that he probably has no feelings towards me whatsoever, but I'm not expecting anything to come out of this. I just like spending time with him."

Keiko smiled.

"We understand."

"That's enough about me," Botan said before putting on her cat-face and grinning deviously. "Koenma and I are going to meet up with Yusuke in the clearing just outside of the hotel to discuss his spirit beast."

"His spirit what?" the two women echoed curiously.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough," Botan informed cryptically before rounding on Keiko. "What I was trying to say is that you should meet up with him first! Take a romantic stroll, talk about your feelings for him, and—"

"Don't you think you should be worrying about your own problems?" Keiko asked as she crossed her arms.

"What kind of friend would I be if I only worried about myself? Come on, Keiko, I'm sure Yusuke will be thrilled to spend some alone time with you!" Botan urged with a pout.

The shorter girl bit her lip as she contemplated the ferry-girl's words.

"I'll think about it."

Botan grinned victoriously and looked over to Shizuru. "Now all that's left is you! Planning on attending any secret rendezvous with the handsome Sakyo today?"

"If I told you, then it wouldn't be a secret, now would it?" Shizuru shot back, completely unaffected by Botan's questioning.

"I suppose that is true," the blue-haired woman relented before frowning. "You're no fun to tease, you don't even get flustered!"

"It's a talent," Shizuru answered coolly.

* * *

Hiei was sure that the woman's stupidity was a talent.

There was no way a person could be that oblivious and senseless. It just wasn't natural.

He was in the middle of taking a break in the forest when he saw that imbecile of a ferry-girl crouching beneath the bushes, intent on spying on the detective and his woman. She didn't even bother to mask the low level of spirit energy she possessed, and that's why Hiei was convinced that Yusuke was aware of her presence. If she wanted to eavesdrop, she might as well learn how to do it right.

She was so unaware of her surroundings that she hadn't even noticed him a few feet away.

"Come on, Keiko! This was the perfect opportunity for you two to be alone and that's all you can do?" Botan said to herself with a sigh as she watched Keiko depart from the area.

Upon hearing this, he jumped down from the tree he was perched in, startling her. She almost let out a strangled cry but her hands shot up to her mouth silencing any noise that might have come out.

"Hn. I'm surprised, a prude like you even knows what sex is."

"Hiei!" Her eyebrows shot up in surprise and she shook her head. "That's not what I meant at all!"

"I'm sure it wasn't," Hiei said as he gave her a look, signifying that he was still waiting for an explanation and she blushed.

"I meant she could at least say something more romantic or even kiss him for luck! I didn't mean… well, _that_!"

"Hn."

"You're a pervert, Hiei! Really, I didn't mean anything of the sort."

"I'm not the one spying on the detective and his woman," Hiei shot back with a smirk.

The ferry-girl was suddenly at a loss for words.

"I wasn't spying," she said finally. "I was merely…um…I was—"

"Didn't anyone ever tell you curiosity killed the cat, Botan?" Yusuke's voice cut through their conversation, causing Botan to stiffen.

She quickly recovered, pulling that ridiculous cat face as she began to 'meow.'

Hiei just shook his head and looked away from the ridiculous scene.

"Why isn't he sensing you?" Botan asked quietly.

"That's because I know how to mask my energy."

Botan pouted but then suddenly brightened.

"In any case, I suggest you stick around, it's just about time for Yusuke's spirit beast to hatch!"

"His spirit what?" he echoed.

Koenma suddenly came into view and Botan clapped her hands together.

"No time to explain, but I guarantee you won't want to miss it!"

"Such a foolish woman," Hiei muttered as he watched her skip over to Yusuke and Koenma.

It seemed the detective had forgotten all about it and so she gave him a short speech, appalled that he would even forget something this important.

Hiei reclaimed his spot on the tree, settling in and relaxing a little. They were beginning to bore him with their explanations but finally, the blasted thing began to hatch. The area around them darkened and flashes of lightning illuminated the sky. If Yusuke's spirit beast was this powerful, Hiei briefly wondered if it would be an ally or a foe. He wondered why she didn't attempt to get away from the potentially dangerous scene and for some reason he felt a bit uneasy as he clenched the hand that was griping his sword.

Soon enough the sky regained its blue tint and the lightning ceased. The yellow egg was cracked open on the floor and as Hiei looked towards Yusuke, his eyes widened. The absurdity of it all caught him off guard and he nearly fell off of the branch he was once so comfortably settled in. There was an outlandish blue creature seated on top of Yusuke's head that appeared to be as harmless as a fly.

Botan's and Koenma's raucous laughter began to fill the forest and Hiei shook his head. If this was seriously the product of Yusuke's inner-soul, they would need a new team leader.

Clearly annoyed by their reactions, the detective threatened to harm anyone who found his situation amusing, and the occupants of Spirit World ceased their laughter. Koenma suddenly announced that it was time for him to leave, claiming that he had lots of work that needed completing, but Hiei knew that the prince was just bluffing and looking for an excuse to escape the detective's wrath.

The ferry-girl and the detective remained, but Hiei didn't make himself known. He hoped he would be able to spend the remainder of his short break alone, and it seemed his wish was granted, as the duo made their way back towards the hotel.

Hiei closed his eyes and settled into the branch with a smirk. Perhaps things would go his way for once and he could remain in solitude. Just as he began to get comfortable again, his demonic hearing picked up the sound of footsteps approaching and he cracked an eye open.

The figure finally made its way to the clearing and Hiei closed his eyes upon seeing who it was. It turned out to be the little brat that Botan had been so fond of. Certainly the child wouldn't be so stupid as to bother _him_.

Moments later the silence was disrupted.

"Hey, mister."

Hiei groaned.

"Can you hear me? I'm talking to you up there!"

"What is it?"

"I was on my way to see Botan, but I got distracted when I saw a storm brewing in this part of the island. Were you the one that caused it?"

"No," Hiei replied. "You shouldn't be so inquisitive. It could get you killed in a place like this."

"I can take care of myself," Hiro shot back defiantly.

"I seriously doubt that," Hiei replied under his breath as he eyed the boy. Although Hiro was only a child, he was still much weaker than he himself had been at that age. Then again, because of his background and circumstances, Hiei's strength was at a higher level and greater magnitude than that of the average demons his age.

"Uh… mister?"

"Speak, kid."

"Do you know where Botan is?"

"No."

From the corner of his eyes, Hiei could see the child pondering her whereabouts and Hiei realized that if he didn't give the boy an answer, then he would be the one left with a lost child who probably had nothing better to do than to irritate him.

"Go to the hotel. You will probably find her there."

"Of course she's at the hotel. I knew that," Hiro replied as he looked around uncertainly, clearly unaware of his surroundings.

Hiei sighed. It was obvious that during the child's trek to the clearing he had lost track of his surroundings and had gotten himself lost. He needed someone to direct him towards the hotel and Hiei needed a quick and easy way to reclaim his solitude.

"I thought you said you could take care of yourself?" Hiei questioned, jumping down from the branch, and stalking over to the confused child.

"I can!" Hiro defended. He crossed his arms over his chest and turned his gaze upwards as he frowned at Hiei. "I don't need anybody's help."

"Hn. Fine by me," Hiei replied before taking off in the other direction.

Hiro's face fell as he watched the fire demon go farther and farther away, and was stuck between getting help from the smug older man and finding Botan on his own. Finally, he made up his mind and he called out to Hiei.

"Hey mister, slow down!" Hiro yelled as he trailed after Hiei, eventually catching up. "What are you, some kind of heartless beast? You can't just leave a kid all alone and defenseless in the forest like that!"

Hiei remained silent as the child continued to ramble on in an attempt to heal his wounded pride. The sooner he got the boy to the hotel, the sooner he would be free of him. This was the way it had to be, he kept on telling himself as he willed his hands to stay inside of his pockets and off of his sword.

* * *

"What on earth is that thing?" Shizuru asked as Yusuke strolled inside the room, seemingly oblivious to the blue creature on his head. Keiko, Yukina, and Kuwabara shifted their attention the spirit detective and began gawking as well.

"This little cutie is Yusuke's spirit beast!" Botan informed cheerily as she pointed to the cheerful creature.

"Wait a minute… that's the reflection of Urameshi's true nature?" Kuwabara asked incredulously as they all gathered around Yusuke.

"Bingo!"

"Aw, but he's just a harmless little hairball," Kuwabara teased as he poked the beast. "So deep down Urameshi's nothing but a softy, huh?"

"Shut up!" Yusuke retorted.

"We should give him a name," Keiko suggested, ignoring Yusuke's discontent.

"Puu," the creature cooed as it flew off of Yusuke's head and into Keiko's arms.

"Well, I guess it's decided then," Keiko announced. "We'll call him Puu."

"He's so cute," Yukina murmured as she pet the spirit beast.

Keiko giggled.

"He kind of looks like Yusuke, don't you think?"

"Yeah, he's even got his hair!" Shizuru said as she pointed to the patch of black hair atop of Puu's head.

"Ha-ha, very funny," Yusuke grumbled. "Just remember, I could kill you all with one finger."

"Yusuke's absolutely, right! He is the strongest one in this room and as such, we should treat him with more respect!" Botan agreed enthusiastically.

The girls were too busy fawning and doting over Puu to hear Botan's outlandish statement, but Kuwabara heard it, and he was suspicious of Botan's motives.

"You can't be serious, Botan?" he exclaimed.

"Of course I'm serious," she replied, nodding her head triumphantly.

Yusuke's eyes narrowed as he examined her before crossing his arms.

"What are you up to now, Botan?"

"Nothing at all! I just need tiny favor!"

"And what might this favor be?" he asked.

"I sort of broke my communication mirror and Koenma expects me keep one on me at all times while I'm on the island," Botan explained, twiddling her thumbs and giving Yusuke a pleading look. "Could I possibly borrow yours for the time being?"

"Sure thing, it's not like I use it anyway," Yusuke replied.

Botan fought back the urge to reprimand him and smiled sweetly.

"So, where is it, anyway?"

"It's in the closet… in my jacket pocket."

The trio made their way over to the closets and Yusuke opened up the door.

"It's in that one over there," he said as he pointed to his jacket in the corner.

"You really are a lifesaver, Yusuke!"

As soon as she entered the door and fished through Yusuke's jacket, her smiled brightened.

"I've got it!" she exclaimed victoriously. She didn't have much time to celebrate, though, because the door closed shut, leaving her confined in the closet. She immediately grabbed the doorknob and pushed, but the door wouldn't budge.

"Gotchya!" Yusuke snickered.

"Yusuke, this isn't funny!" Botan yelled as she pounded on the door.

"Really? Cause it seems funny to me," he remarked snidely. "Maybe I'll leave you in here for the rest of the day! That will make you stop and think before you decide to spy on people and then laugh at their pathetic spirit beasts," he joked.

"What are you two buffoons doing?" a voice interrupted.

"Just teaching Botan a lesson, is all," Kuwabara answered nonchalantly.

Hiei looked closer to see Yusuke leaning against the closet door with a smirk. He heard muted cries and realized what was going on.

"Hiei, is that you?" Her voice was muffled, but he could still pick up the anxiety in her voice. "Please help me! You have to get me out of here!"

"As if three-eyes would lift a finger to help any—!" Kuwabara suddenly let out a startled cry as he was pushed aside by Hiei.

"Whoa whoa, calm down there buddy," Yusuke said defensively.

"Move," was all Hiei said in response as he shoved Yusuke aside and opened the door, to reveal a terrified and distraught ferry-girl.

He took a closer look at her and noticed that she was crying.

Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged guilty looks before racing to her side.

"Botan, it was just a joke, I didn't mean to scare you. I really wasn't going to keep you in there for a whole day," Yusuke said sympathetically, placing a hand on her shoulder, instantly regretting his decision.

"Yeah, we're real sorry," Kuwabara apologized.

"I-it's alright, I'm fine now," she muttered as she wiped the tears off of her face.

"It isn't alright," Hiei said firmly. "Why are you so soft?"

"It's not their fault, they didn't know," she explained.

"Didn't know what?" Yusuke asked.

"It doesn't matter if they did or did not, you shouldn't be so forgiving," Hiei accused.

"Okay, am I the only one who is lost, here?" Kuwabara asked.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing to be forgiving!" Botan argued.

"In your case, you could learn to be a bit more merciless," Hiei countered.

"And you should be a bit more merciful!"

"What's going on in here?" Keiko questioned as she rushed in, the rest of the girls following suit along with Puu. After taking a look at Botan's tear-stained face, she turned to Hiei with a glare. "Did you threaten her again?"

Hiei just rolled his eyes and walked away from the scene, without giving any of them an explanation. All eyes landed on Botan and she shrunk back.

"Did he hurt you or something?"

Botan shook her head.

"It wasn't Hiei… those two were the culprits," Botan said as she pointed at the boys. "Hiei saved me from them and their cruel jokes!"

"Yusuke…" Keiko gritted.

"Hey don't look at me, it was Kuwabara too!" Yusuke claimed. "And what were you and Hiei talking about before?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Botan feigned ignorance.

"Don't play stupid with me; you know damn well what I mean," Yusuke shot back indignantly.

"Yeah… something that only you and Hiei know!" Kuwabara added.

Botan put her hands on her hips and looked at them condescendingly.

"That's none of your business!"

"Oh don't act all high and mighty! Now that Hiei isn't here to save you, I can just as easily shove you back in that closet!" Yusuke warned.

Botan gulped.

"Yusuke, you'll do no such thing!" Keiko berated.

"Yes, you'll do no such thing!" Botan mocked as she put on her kitty face. "I'll be going now," she said, unable to take all of the questioning looks. She exited the room without really paying attention to her surroundings and immediately bumped into someone.

"I'm so sorry…" she looked at the person properly and gasped. "Hiei?"

"Hn."

"I thought you'd be long gone by now, what are you doing just standing there in the hallway?"

"I ran into him," Hiei said as he stepped aside to reveal Hiro. "The child was looking for you."

"Hiro!" Botan exclaimed delightfully. "I wasn't expecting to see you here!"

"I wanted to see how you were doing," he trailed off.

Botan smiled, already knowing why he came. The last time she saw him was when she expended all of her energy trying to heal Hiei. Hiro was probably just checking in to see if she was alright.

"That was sweet of you. As you can see, I'm back in tip-top shape!" Botan assured.

Hiro nodded in response, examining her face carefully.

"What's the matter? Why are you looking at me like that?" she questioned.

"Your eyes are all red," he said bluntly.

Botan's eyes widened and she found herself at a loss for words. What kind of explanation could she give him? 'I was crying because my friend locked me in a closet?' It sounded absurd.

"Perhaps she's allergic to one of the plants on the island," Hiei suggested, remembering one of their earlier encounters when he had mistaken Botan's allergy symptoms for tears. "Or perhaps she's just allergic to you. I guess I shouldn't have brought you here."

Hiro glared.

"That's not-"

"You brought him here?" Botan questioned skeptically, cutting the young demon off.

"If you could call it that; I was mostly restraining myself from hurting him. The boy doesn't know when to shut up."

Hiro glared.

"Yes I-"

"That was so sweet of you!" Botan gushed unable to contain her grin. "Did you thank him, Hiro?"

"Well I-"

"I don't need any thanks," Hiei interjected, clearly irritated over the whole affair. "I brought him here so I could train without any interruptions. Make sure he doesn't wander off again."

Hiro, who was leaning against the wall with his mouth tightly shut, didn't even bother to speak this time. It was obvious that neither was paying any attention to what he had to say and attempting to speak was only serving to agitate him further.

"Okay, I will," she agreed. "Good luck with your training and be careful!"

Hiei left without so much as a 'goodbye' and she frowned.

"He really needs to work on his social skills…"

She looked back to Hiro and smiled.

"Is there anything you feel like doing today?"

Hiro puffed out his cheeks and ignored her completely.

"What's the matter?" Botan asked as she poked at his face, causing all of the air to blow out of his mouth.

She found it amusing and laughed, while he only glared up at her.

"Oh come now, you can't possibly give me the silent treatment forever!"

Hiro shot her a defiant look, as if to prove that he most definitely could.

"I'll tell you what, if you stop ignoring me, then I'll let you play with my camera again and I'll even introduce you to some more human things."

His curiosity got the better of him and his frown melted into a smirk.

"Okay, but we have to get more of that "ice cream" desert from downstairs, too."

"Sure thing!"

* * *

It was night time and Hiei was sitting in a tree, isolated from the rest of the group. For the time being, he was free; free from the detective and his nagging woman, Kuwabara's stupidity, the fox's presumptuousness, the whining toddler, the useless ogre, the bratty child, and most of all the infuriating and unpredictable ferry-girl.

He had been left on his own and he hadn't been interrupted ever since he dropped the child off with the woman. This little hiatus was probably the longest amount of time he had ever been allowed to himself and it was a much needed break from all of the unwanted social encounters he has been receiving for most of this stay on Hanging Neck Island.

But all good things must come to an end and he wasn't surprised he heard the incessant chatter of the ferry-girl and the sound of another voice… a voice that he dreaded. He looked down, only to see her walking side by side with Hiro, quite possibly the devil's spawn.

"You didn't have to walk me back, I told you I can take care of myself," he said stubbornly as Botan ruffled his hair affectionately.

"I know that, I just felt like going for a walk, that's all!" she reassured with a smile. "Well, it's getting late; you should hurry on to your room."

He nodded obediently.

"I'll see you tomorrow at the next match, right?"

"That's right. Tomorrow's match determines our opponent in the semi-finals."

"I'm sure you guys will beat whichever team ends up making it to the semi-finals," he admitted.

"Really?" she brightened. "You think so?"

"Most of these fighters are just mindless brutes," he noted. "I was hoping to come here and learn some really cool techniques but so far, I'm unimpressed."

"You plan to become a fighter?"

"Of course," he said proudly. "Hand to hand combat is alright, but I'm more interested in weapons," he revealed with a smirk. "Swords and stuff."

"I've got it!" Botan beamed. "Hiei's weapon of choice is a sword! I bet he could teach you all sorts of tricks! He is very skilled at what he does."

Hiei grunted at her audacity. There was no way in all of the three worlds that he would train the boy. He was a warrior, not a teacher. The kid couldn't keep up with him and Hiei never had much patience anyway. The simple walk from the forest to the hotel was more than enough to make Hiei want to kill the child, and he was certain that he wouldn't be able to stand more than ten minutes with him. Besides his lack of patience, he honestly did not care about the boy's training. If the child wanted to get stronger, he should do so by his own means.

"Really?" he asked with a snort as he crossed his arms. "He seems like a jerk to me. I doubt he'd be interested."

Botan shook her head.

"Oh no, you've got it all wrong. Hiei is just very," she paused, trying to think of the right word, "…guarded. He might seem like he doesn't care about anything or anyone, but he does care. He just has other ways of showing it. I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving you a few pointers."

"Hm…"

The boy still didn't look convinced.

"Trust me! I'll get him to agree to it!"

"If you say so," he relented.

"Yay!" Botan cheered as she clapped her hands together. "You won't regret it!"

"I hope not," he muttered under his breath.

"Well, look at the time. It's gotten dark already!" Botan said as she looked to the night sky. "I guess you should be going in now."

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow," he replied.

"Goodnight Hiro!"

He nodded and with a short "goodnight," he ran off towards the hotel.

Botan smiled as she watched him enter the hotel before turning on her heels and coming face to face with a figure. She let out an earsplitting shriek and Hiei grabbed her arm in a lame attempt to silence her.

"It's only me, you fool."

"Oh, Hiei, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" she breathed out. "It isn't proper to sneak up on people like that, you know!"

"It isn't proper to make promises you can't keep."

Botan looked around nervously, avoiding Hiei's gaze at all costs as she twiddled her thumbs.

"I don't suppose you just heard what I said back there?"

He nodded and she sighed.

"Why is it, every time I try and do something, you always catch me in the act?" she whined.

"Here's a more pertinent question," Hiei responded as he took a step closer towards her. "Why is it, every time I try to separate myself from you and the other fools, you are the one who always manages to find me?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.

"And even if you don't end up wandering off and finding me, you'd still be in here," he said tapping a finger against his head, "wandering around in my thoughts like a parasite."

"…In your thoughts?" she echoed weakly and his eyes widened a bit, realizing what he said aloud.

He shifted his gaze from hers and quickly let go of her arm.

"Hiei, you…" Botan began, unsure of what to say.

He muttered something before vanishing from her senses.

* * *

Botan closed the door behind her quietly and greeted the girls upon entering the room. She wasn't sure if she was hallucinating or not, but she could have sworn she heard Hiei say that she was always in his thoughts.

Did he really think about her that much?

She replayed the occurrence over and over again in her head. She could still feel Hiei's hand on her arm, she could still remember the way his crimson gaze bore into her own, and she could still hear the rustling of leaves and branches as he leaped to and from various trees, making his way out of the forest and leaving her completely confused and dazed.

Yes, it wasn't a hallucination, she was sure that she had heard him correctly.

"_And even if you don't end up wandering off and finding me, you'd still be in here, wandering around in my thoughts…"_

She couldn't contain the joy that swelled through her heart and the small sliver of hope that Hiei might actually be capable of harboring feelings for her, too.

It was probably illogical to get so excited over something so trivial, but it was definitely a start. If he was thinking about her then there had to be some sort of affinity there. She wanted to believe, more than anyone else, that there was some hope for the two of them, no matter how small or insignificant it was.

* * *

I feel like I put Hiei through hell during this chapter. He's always getting spotted by someone when he just wants to be left alone! Poor guy. Haha.

Also, there was like hardly any Kurama, Koenma, masked fighter, or ogre in this chapter. How awful of me. At least Hiro was here! You guys seem to like him, enough, and I'm glad for that.

As always, please drop a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. I love reading about your opinions and what you liked [or even, what you didn't like] about a certain character or scene. I hope you were all pleased with this chapter.

Until next time!


	9. Chapter 9

More Than Anyone Else

"Talking"

'_Thoughts'_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

A/N: Hi guys! Thanks a lot for all of the feedback that I received for the last chapter – it was the most I have ever gotten for this story! You don't know how happy you guys made me! Haha. Please excuse any mistakes, I'm trying desperately to get this chapter published before Hurricane Irene hits New York!

This chapter is pretty long, about 20 pages, so get comfy and enjoy!

Chapter 9

* * *

"_And even if you don't end up wandering off and finding me, you'd still be in here, wandering around in my thoughts…"_

Those wretched words were on a constant loop in his head.

So what if they were the truth? It was only because she kept on turning up everywhere he was. It would happen to any demon, human, or spirit in the same situation, he concluded.

Despite the fact that it was true, it was still beyond foolish and reckless of him to say something like that to a person like her. She would definitely misconstrue his words and believe that it meant more than it was worth. He had seen the way her eyes lit up at his ill-timed confession. In the midst of her shock and confusion, he saw something else there.

Something that confused him; something that shouldn't be, and he had to get away from it all.

The whole day was a failure in and of itself. He hadn't mastered the dragon and he was constantly distracted by unwelcome interruptions, and the last encounter he had with Botan only added to his troubles. He was eager for this wretched day to be over and as he stalked down the hallway, he found himself hoping that Kurama would already be asleep.

Upon opening the door, he cursed at the sight before him.

"Well hello to you too," Yusuke shot back cheekily, as he stood up from the couch. "You usually skip out on these team meetings, so I decided to bring the meeting to you."

"Took you long enough, though," Kuwabara grumbled. "What were you up to?"

Hiei ignored the two humans and his eyes wandered to the masked fighter sitting on the couch and Kurama leaning against the wall.

"What is the meaning of this?" he questioned abruptly, his patience already long gone.

"Tomorrow morning we're going to watch the match that determines who we fight during the semi-finals. We all agreed that we should go as a team to scope out the competition," Kurama informed.

Hiei remained silent as they babbled on.

"It's between Team Uraotogi and Team something-or-the-other," Yusuke continued. "You'll show up this time, right?"

Hiei nodded, fully intending on doing exactly that all along. He would be lying if he said he wasn't curious to see who their next opponents would be.

"Fine, I will be there. Is that all?"

Yusuke gave Kuwabara a mischievous grin before turning back to Hiei.

"Yeah, that's all."

"Damn it, Urameshi. I really thought he was gonna go all anti-social on us and decline," Kuwabara grumbled under his breath.

"I had a feeling he would join us," Yusuke mused with a smirk. "Now pay up."

"But I don't have any money on me right now," Kuwabara answered, pulling out his empty pockets lamely.

"Well then we'll just have to add some interest onto your debt…"

"Hey, that wasn't a part of the bet!"

As Hiei entered the inner chambers he heard the muffled tones of the others. Once again the two humans were fighting, but he could care less about their trivial squabbles. The only thing he wanted to do was forget that the events of this day had ever happened.

He had never been one to divulge any sort of private thoughts and yet for the first time of his life, he had fallen victim to a simple slip of the tongue. It seemed as though the woman's bad habits were rubbing off on him and he now understood what it felt like to be a blabbermouth.

* * *

The following morning, Hiei had come to the conclusion that perhaps the woman's eccentricities were, in fact, contagious.

Last night he had displayed one of her less desirable traits when he said something that was better left unsaid and this morning his own sister was standing in the hallway doing something peculiar and reminiscent of the sort of frivolous thing that a certain blue-haired, pink-eyed, ferry-girl would indulge in.

He watched as Yukina chewed on some sort of malleable substance and fiddled around with it in her mouth. She was clearly trying to do something with the foreign matter, but Hiei couldn't tell what exactly it was. It was just the type of activity he would expect from the woman and he was sure that she was behind his sister's strange behavior.

The ice maiden caught him staring and stopped chewing immediately, causing Hiei to become aware of the fact that they were the only ones in the hallway and that she had all of her attention on him.

"Good morning, Hiei."

Hiei merely nodded in response.

"Ever since Botan introduced me to this yesterday, I've been trying my best to do it, but I just can't seem to get it right. Blowing a bubble is a lot harder than I thought."

Hiei remained silent as he watched his sister continue to divulge in the strange ritual. Eventually, Yukina stopped and noticed Hiei's staring.

"I'm sorry, you must think I'm strange," Yukina admitted embarrassedly. "A demon engaging in human activities…"

"No, the one who introduced you to this is the strange one," Hiei muttered under his breath.

"I heard this was becoming quite popular in the demon realm and now I understand why. Would you like to try some?"

The koorime procured a few pieces from her kimono and offered them to Hiei with a hopeful smile.

"You keep it," Hiei insisted. "Use it to master this bubble technique."

Yukina nodded and proceeded to continue in her previous actions as Hiei turned around and proceeded to make his way towards the elevator. He was almost certain that whatever the ferry-girl had was contagious; she had passed her inability to keep her mouth shut onto him, and now she had passed her interest in frivolous things onto Yukina. What was next, he wondered? Would the oaf start walking around in a pink kimono and would the detective dye his hair blue? Things just seemed to get exponentially worse on this island.

* * *

_Botan didn't know where she was or how she had gotten there, but things had just taken a turn on the weird side._

_Hiei was being uncharacteristically nice to her and had said things that he normally wouldn't be saying._

_She looked over to him confusion, a frown tugging her lips downward._

"_I don't understand. Hiei, what exactly are you getting at?"_

_"You're always in my head," Hiei said in a low voice as he grabbed her and she squealed in surprise. "And I think we both know the reason why."_

_Without warning he pulled her even closer and planted a kiss on her lips. She broke away, struggling to worm her way out of his firm grasp, but it was all in vain._

_"Hiei, stop it! This isn't right… you don't even like me!" Botan said exasperatedly, losing her resolve with each passing moment._

_"Stop struggling," he ordered, pulling her closer to him. "You want the same thing I do, there's no use in denying it."_

_"…I do?" she asked slowly._

_He smirked knowingly before nodding his head._

"_You do."_

Botan shot up out of her sleeping position with wide eyes. As the recollections of her dream drifted back to her she began to shake her head in a lame attempt to push it out of her mind.

"No, no, no, no!" she whispered in horror. "This cannot be happening!"

She already knew that her feelings for Hiei were absurd; there wasn't a chance in all three worlds that he would ever reciprocate her feelings, and dreaming of him was counter-productive. As hard as she tried to accept the fact that her interest was one-sided, she couldn't shake the lingering notions in the back of her mind that maybe someday he would feel the same way too, and dreaming of him in such a way only served to feed these optimistic and unrealistic ideas. She knew it wasn't logical to let herself get too carried away by his words, but this dream was making it awfully hard to forget.

"Oh, if only he hadn't said those things yesterday!" she pouted.

"Hey, sleepy-head. You better hurry up and get ready, the next round is starting soon," Shizuru said, motioning for Botan to get out of bed. "Weren't you supposed to go size up the competition?"

Botan nodded with a sheepish smile, hoping Shizuru hadn't witnessed her reaction to the dream. She quickly got up and off of the bed, gathered her things, before making her way towards the bathroom.

After getting ready in record time, Botan rushed out of the room and nearly collided with Yukina.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?" Botan asked.

"I didn't want to wake you, or the others," Yukina revealed. "And I wanted to surprise you…"

"Surprise me?" the ferry-girl echoed.

Yukina simply nodded in response.

Botan tilted her head to the side as she watched Yukina fiddle around with the piece of gum in her mouth. Suddenly it all became clear. She had given both Yukina and Hiro pieces of gum yesterday, and after seeing Botan blow a bubble, the two were determined to do the same. Hiro had picked it up quickly, while Yukina struggled. Botan found Yukina's resolve similar to Hiei's and she couldn't help but smile at the small resemblance. Eventually Yukina had accomplished her task and Botan clasped her hands together in glee.

"Oh that's wonderful, Yukina! You've mastered the art of blowing a bubble!" Botan exclaimed, grinning brightly.

"I've been practicing very hard," Yukina said with an accomplished smile of her own.

"I knew you could do it," Botan praised.

"Thank you," Yukina replied.

Botan nodded, her gaze trailing over to the boy's room and she remembered that she had a match to attend.

"Did you happen to see Yusuke or Kuwabara while you were out here? We were supposed to go scout the competition but I've got a feeling that the boys are just as late as I am."

"No, I haven't seen either of them," Yukina said, shaking her head. "But I did see Hiei."

"…Really?" Botan gulped, a troubled expression settling over her features. She didn't think Hiei would be too pleased with her if he found out that she was the one who introduced Yukina to something from the world of the living. Botan could almost hear him now, threatening her with the promise of a slow and painful death. "And did he say anything to you, by chance?"

"Yes, he encouraged me to keep going."

"He what?" Botan shouted in disbelief.

"He encouraged me to keep going," Yukina repeated calmly, unfazed by the ferry-girl's outburst.

"I don't believe it," she muttered, completely shocked by the girl's confession. But then again, this was Hiei, and he did have a way of surprising her when she least expected it.

"He is a very nice man," Yukina said suddenly.

If possible, Botan's shock doubled and her eyes widened at the incredulity of Yukina's statement.

"Uh, I guess you can say that…" Botan agreed, mentally counting the nice things he had done for her while they were on the island.

"I can see why you like him so much," Yukina continued.

"Yes, yes, it's quite obvious, isn't it?" Botan mused, nodding her head dutifully before catching herself. "Wait what!"

"You do like him, don't you?"

"I… well, he, um, and I-"

"You two seem to be close friends," Yukina finished.

"Oh yes, we are _friends_and nothing more than that!" Botan laughed nervously. "There's nothing out of the ordinary here; just your average friendship between a ferry-girl and a demon!"

Yukina gave Botan a confused look, but before she could say anything Yusuke and Kuwabara entered the hallway. Puu was sitting on top of Yusuke's head and Botan forced herself to stifle a giggle, knowing how sensitive Yusuke was over the fact that his inner-self was personified by a cute and harmless creature.

"Yukina my love!" Kuwabara greeted loudly as he ran over them, nearly bowling Botan over in all of his haste.

After steadying herself, Botan looked over to Yusuke, who could only give her a disinterested shrug as he waited for the orange-haired teen to finish his conversation with Yukina. Either Kuwabara didn't notice Botan standing right there or he simply didn't care. Botan hoped it wasn't the latter as she cleared her throat animatedly and waited for some sort of acknowledgement.

When she received nothing she began tapping her foot impatiently for a while in the hopes that he would hear her and look her way, but when she noticed that it wasn't working she sighed and finally gave up.

"So much for Botan getting attention," she drawled as she walked over to Yusuke.

"Don't be too discouraged," Yusuke laughed. "He's got a one track mind when it comes to Yukina. He probably wouldn't even realize if we went on ahead to the stadium without him."

Yusuke's tone indicated that he had intended on doing exactly as he said and Botan shot him an admonishing look, but as she remembered Kuwabara's blatant disregard of her presence she found Yusuke's suggestion to be very tempting. After giving Kuwabara a quick glance, she turned back to Yusuke with a cat-like grin.

"So, how long do you suppose it will take for him to realize we're gone?"

* * *

Despite Botan and Yusuke leaving without giving him a warning, Kuwabara eventually caught up with the two before they made it to the rest of the team. Yusuke claimed that they had given Kuwabara ample notice of their departure but the boy had been too wrapped up in his conversation with Yukina to care, to which Botan nodded sheepishly in their defense. Kuwabara was a bit wary of the whole situation, but believed them reluctantly and they hurried over to the top risers of the stadium. By the time the trio arrived at the rendezvous point, the match had already ended in Team Uraotogi's favor. Hiei, Kurama, and the masked fighter had witnessed it all, and much to their dismay, there wasn't much information they could get based off of this fight. It had ended too abruptly to gauge any of Team Uraotogi's weaknesses.

"Man, I was really hoping to catch a glimpse of both teams. I'm on the lookout for Yukina's long lost brother," Kuwabara revealed proudly.

Hiei scowled upon hearing Kuwabara's confession, causing Botan to frown in worry while the masked fighter and Kurama looked on in mild interest.

"Do you even know what he looks like?" Yusuke countered haughtily.

"I don't know, Urameshi," Kuwabara replied, giving a lame shrug. "The red string of fate led me to Yukina, so maybe it can lead me to her loved ones, too. Besides, I'm spiritually aware, so I should be able to pick up on his energy or something."

"This is why they made me spirit detective and decided to leave you out of everything, despite your "spiritual awareness"," Yusuke muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kuwabara yelled in outrage.

"You've got to rely on cold hard facts, not make believe threads of fate!" Yusuke instructed. "If it were up to me, I'd start by looking out for a demon that's probably on the shorter side."

"Why would you say that?" Kuwabara questioned, oblivious to Hiei's increasing anger.

"Oh, I don't know just a hunch," Yusuke replied nonchalantly. "He probably has really messy black hair, too."

"Yusuke!" Botan admonished, noting Hiei's displeased expression, warily. "That's enough."

Kurama shook his head, although he was unable to contain the amused smile on his face.

"I'm sure he's got a horrible attitude and he pretends that he doesn't care about anyone else, but when you really need him, he's always there," Yusuke continued. "He's just a big softy on the inside!"

"If you know so much about Yukina's brother, than maybe you should help me look for him!" Kuwabara insisted, before turning towards toward Kurama. "You can help, too, Kurama! You're really smart; I bet you can find him in no time!"

"It is a noble cause," Kurama agreed.

"Kurama," Hiei growled out warningly.

"I've got a great idea, why don't we all just chip in? Maybe Hiei can even lend an eye!" Yusuke chuckled.

Kurama was unable to hide his mirth and found himself joining in with Yusuke's raucous laughter, albeit on a much quieter and reserved level.

"I don't get it, what's so funny?" Kuwabara asked.

"Oh, it's nothing, Yusuke just made a bad joke is all," Botan replied, laughing nervously as she watched Hiei's expression darken. She really wished they wouldn't joke around about Hiei's relation to Yukina; she knew he must have had his reasons for keeping it a secret and if anymore people knew about it, Hiei would be furious.

"It wasn't that funny," Kuwabara muttered over Yusuke's hearty laughter. "Urameshi-"

Kuwabara was interrupted by an unexpected surge of energy that left him feeling weak in the knees, causing him to hold onto the railing in front of him for support as small beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

The general commotion that usually occurred during the Dark Tournament broke into a decrescendo and everyone had become uncharacteristically still. Botan felt a feeling of dread sweep over her and she whipped her head to the scene that had caught their eyes.

Team Toguro stood directly opposite of them, on the other side of the stadium, their presence strong enough to immobilize the once rowdy crowd. Soon enough the silence broke into a roar of cheering and chanting for the Toguro team, along with insults directed towards the Urameshi team. Toguro pointed towards Yusuke and then back towards himself with an arrogant smirk. Yusuke adopted a smirk of his own before boldly flipping the older man off.

The crowd broke out in an uproar and the demons restarted their 'kill Urameshi' chant, while Team Toguro simply went their way.

"Yusuke, do you think that was such a good idea?" Botan shouted over all of the noise. "It doesn't seem wise to anger them…"

"They're already out to kill us all, Botan," Yusuke replied. "Why not raise a little hell?"

Botan sighed in response, trying to ignore the general insults and slander directed towards them.

"Damn it, I can barely hear myself think, let's go somewhere quieter," Yusuke suggested. "I think there are a few empty rooms around here somewhere."

* * *

Upon entering one of the unoccupied rooms after Yusuke's suggestion, Hiei settled on the windowsill, intent on tuning the majority of the meeting out. The woman had suddenly decided to get drinks for the rest of the team and without her bubbly persona the room had quickly become quiet as they all drowned in their own various thoughts. Hiei briefly wondered if it was safe for her to go roaming around unattended, but quickly dismissed the thought once he realized what he was doing. It wasn't his concern if she decided to put herself in danger. That's what he kept telling himself, anyway.

Kuwabara was the first to finally speak, and for once Hiei welcomed the distraction.

"How could I have not sensed their power this whole time?" he whispered, his face pale and his eyes unfocused. "That kind of power… it's unreal."

"You said it yourself, you're spiritually aware. You probably just got stronger and that's why you can sense their power at a greater magnitude."

"You don't understand Urameshi. They're on a whole other level."

"We already knew what we were getting into and bitching about it isn't going to make it any better," Yusuke countered. "Toguro's the whole reason we had to enter this stupid tournament. We're all a hell of a lot stronger than we were the first time we fought against the Toguro brothers. This time we'll win."

Suddenly the door was pushed open, revealing Team Uraotogi.

"Don't you think you're all forgetting about somebody?" Shishiwakamaru taunted.

"No one of real importance," Kurama replied calmly.

Shishiwakamaru stood there with his arms crossed, unfazed by Kurama's words. Flanking his sides was Ura Urashima and Onji, and in back of the trio stood Kuro Momotaro and Makintaro. Hiei noted with disgust that Kuro was chewing obnoxiously on that same pink substance that Botan had given Yukina, and while his sister was more subtle in her actions, the buffoon standing in the threshold of the door was much more loud and uncouth in his. Hiei looked away, not really interested in what they had to say as Shishiwakamaru continued.

"Don't get too cocky now, you've still got to defeat us before you have any chance of facing off against Team Toguro," he declared boldly. "And you'll soon realize that we're no pushovers."

"If you came here to intimidate us, you're wasting your, and more importantly, our precious time," Yusuke retorted.

"Nah, it's the exact opposite, actually," Kuro Momotaro said, pausing to blow a bubble. Hiei scowled in disgust at the fighter's disgusting and ill-mannered antics. "We want a good fight, so don't hold back."

"A team actually encouraging us to do well… that's a first," Kuwabara muttered under his breath.

"We want to make a name for ourselves in this tournament, but the competition we have faced up to this point has been pitiful," Shishiwakamaru clarified.

"If you want fame, then maybe you should start a boy-band," Yusuke interjected, as he crossed his arms and put on a smug expression. "You've certainly got the look down."

Shishiwakamaru's face contorted in anger as he reverted into his demonic state.

"Oh, we'll get ugly soon enough, Urameshi!" he snarled, baring his fangs. "Just you wait."

Shishiwakamaru's fangs and horns disappeared and he proceeded to walk away, the rest of the team following his lead.

"Those guys sure are cocky, but their power is nothing compared to Toguro's," Kuwabara said.

"We could always wear blindfolds; maybe then we can have a real challenge!" Yusuke joked, as he and Kuwabara began laughing.

"Pride is for the weak, Yusuke," the masked fighter interjected sternly, causing the detective's laughter to stop abruptly.

"Leave me alone," Yusuke said, glaring back at his mysterious teammate.

The masked fighter said no more, but her unyielding gaze rested on Yusuke, making him uneasy.

"Stop looking at me like that you masked freak!" he yelled angrily, no longer able to hold back as he punched the wall, creating a dent.

The sound of a gasp averted Hiei's attention over to the threshold of the door, where Botan stood with a startled look, the drinks long forgotten as they lay on the floor.

"Hey guys, calm down," Kuwabara insisted, getting in between the two fighters.

"Kuwabara's right, can we please talk this through peacefully?" Botan pleaded, stepping inside of the room and standing alongside Kuwabara.

"You've been on my case for the past few days," Yusuke gritted out, ignoring Kuwabara's and Botan's pleas. "If you've got something to say then say it!"

"It's quite simple, really. If the leader of Team Toguro is Toguro, then the leader of Team Urameshi should be Yusuke Urameshi. The question I'm posing is this: do you have what it takes to beat Toguro all by yourself?"

"You think you should lead this team instead of me?" Yusuke shouted incredulously.

"If necessary," she said, before turning on her heels and making her way out of the room. "Follow me."

"Yeah, let's take this outside!" Yusuke yelled, following suit. Puu had flown off of his makeshift position atop of Yusuke's head and landed in Botan's arms in all of the commotion.

"Yusuke don't be stupid!" Botan berated as she stepped into the hall, intent on following the two.

"Let them be," Hiei said finally. "They will have to settle this themselves."

"Yeah that's what we were afraid might happen," Kuwabara agreed. "Those two are so strong and so stubborn, they'll probably settle this all the way to the death."

"It's a shame, but there's nothing we can do," Hiei said.

"And even if there were, it's hardly our place to interfere in their affairs," Kurama noted, his expression solemn.

"How can you possible say those things! Can't you see they could tear this team apart?" Botan questioned fearfully, her grip on Puu a little too tight for the beast's liking. She looked to Kuwabara for any signs of remorse or worry, but he refused to meet her gaze. She then turned to Kurama, who remained as calm as ever and then finally she looked over to Hiei. She wasn't surprised to see that he had the same apathetic countenance that he usually bore and she became even more distraught. "And none of you even seem to be bothered enough to care!"

Botan ran out of the room and into the hallway, before anyone could stop her.

"Botan, no!" Kuwabara called out. "She could get hurt if she tries to get in the way. We have to stop her," Kuwabara yelled.

He ran into the hallway and stopped in his tracks when he noticed that Hiei was already much farther ahead of him, despite the fact that the demon was walking at a much more relaxed pace than Kuwabara had been.

"When did he…?"

"Hiei always was exceptionally fast," Kurama remarked as he joined Kuwabara.

"Now we really have to catch up with the others. Hiei's probably planning on slaughtering Botan and then blaming it on a stray energy blast from Yusuke's and the masked fighter's battle!"

Kurama chuckled.

"I hardly doubt that's the case, Kuwabara."

"What, you really think he's going out of his way just to stop her from doing something dangerous?"

"More or less."

"I know you're the smartest one on this team, but that has got to be the stupidest suggestion you've ever made."

"There's only one way to find out," Kurama said and Kuwabara nodded, before the two followed the same path the rest of their team took and exited the stadium.

* * *

It took less than a minute for Hiei to catch up to Botan, and he was surprised to find that she wasn't wandering around aimlessly, but getting closer and closer to the faint energy signals that he could only assume were results of the masked fighter's and Yusuke's battle. Yusuke's spirit beast was flying around the area, presumably trying to get closer to his master.

"Don't go after them," he ordered as he came to a full stop, expecting her to do the same.

Botan ignored him and continued walking as if she hadn't heard him at all.

He frowned at her impudence before vanishing from the area. Before the ferry-girl knew what was happening, he had appeared right in front her, and she nearly collided into him as she came to an abrupt halt.

Botan glared at him and he stared back indifferently at her, before she finally spoke.

"I don't understand any of you," she accused. "How can you sit by idly while your friends could possibly be fighting a duel to the death?"

"Words will have no affect on them now. You can't hope to solve a warrior's problems with superfluous and frivolous words," Hiei told her.

"You don't know until you try!" she insisted.

"You wouldn't understand," he scoffed.

"I would if you would just explain it to me!"

"There is no use in explaining a fighter's mindset to someone so weak."

"I may be weak by your standards but that doesn't mean I'm incompetent. As a member of this team you ought to at least try to calm them down!" Botan's voice rose louder as her anger with him grew. "Maybe if you had a shred of compassion within you then you would understand!"

Hiei then turned on her, leaning in close to prove his point.

"I don't know where you got the audacity to even presume you could speak to me like this, but lose it, now. I'm not like the more mild members of the team and I won't hesitate to put you in your place."

Botan just glared back at him fearlessly, her frustration overriding her natural instincts to live, and preventing her from backing down. Hiei was surprised that she hadn't resorted to her usual nervous antics, but he didn't let it show. At this point he would usually intimidate her with a death threat or something, but it seemed she was past the point of his scare tactics. While he was fully aware of her temper, it was usually directed towards the detective or the oaf, and never at him. There was something about her being all riled up that made him _almost_ attracted to her. That fiery spirit, while he abhorred it in most other women, stirred something within him.

Something that he didn't like; something that only fueled his irritation and he directed that irritation towards her.

After a few terse seconds of glaring at each other, Botan was the first to relent with a frustrated sigh.

"If you won't do something about it, then I'll find someone who will!" she declared, before stomping away.

Hiei's eyes followed her as she made her way towards the hotel and he scowled. It was unfortunate that he couldn't even scare her anymore and even more unfortunate that he nearly found himself attracted to her.

"You still have a wonderful way with the ladies, Hiei," Kurama said as he stepped out of the shadows.

Hiei crossed his arms.

"Hn."

"You've never had a girlfriend, have you?" Kuwabara asked, as he joined them.

"I prefer my relationships to be based solely on physical needs. I see no use for the emotional attachments and unnecessary commitments you humans love to create."

"Hmph, it figures," Kuwabara grunted. "Well, it wouldn't kill you to be nicer to Botan. She's only trying to help."

"Kuwabara is right," Kurama cut in before Hiei could object. "She is merely looking out for our best interests."

"The day I act upon advice given by this clown, is the day I'll gladly offer myself to the dragon as live bait," Hiei replied.

"Call me crazy but I thought you two had come to some sort of mutual understanding with each other. She certainly seems to enjoy your company and you aren't pushing her away," Kurama said.

"Clearly your sight and perception have dulled upon taking up a human body. I would gladly dispose of her if I could, but the toddler would have a temper tantrum."

"If you seriously didn't want her company, you would have scared her off by now. You lack the resolve to do it."

Hiei remained silent, unwilling to tell Kurama that she had become immune to his death-threats and cold glares and even more unwilling to admit that he could never follow through with any of his death-threats when it came to her.

At his silence, Kurama continued.

"I'm not discouraging you; in fact, I think it's good that you two are becoming close. Being social isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"He'd probably spontaneously combust if he was forced to be any more social than he is used to being," Kuwabara noted.

"I'm sure Hiei will be able to thrive in any sort of environment, no matter what the challenge. He is a survivor, after all."

"Seriously? So you're saying he'd even be able to survive high school with all of the pestering teachers, annoying students, and homework assignments?" Kuwabara asked before letting out a laugh. "Sorry, I just got a mental image of Hiei not being able to reach his locker because it was on the top row."

Kurama let out a noise that sounded suspiciously like laughter and Hiei growled.

"I'm sorry, Hiei. It's been a rather trying day and any sort of amusement is welcomed at this point."

"Go take your amusement somewhere else," Hiei grumbled. "I'm not in the mood."

"But that just makes it funnier!" Kuwabara said in between chuckles.

Hiei let out a string of expletives, some of which Kurama had never even heard of before, as Kuwabara's laughter died down and he suddenly looked off into the distance somberly.

"Hey guys, do you think maybe Botan was right? Should we try and stop Urameshi and the masked fighter or something?"

"I think it's best that they work this out themselves," Kurama instructed. "We've all noticed how strained their relationship has become and it was only a matter of time until it evolved into what it is now. We can only hope that they can come to a resolution where both are still left standing."

* * *

Botan was furious as she stalked down the hallway. No one seemed to be concerned over Yusuke and the masked fighter but her.

"Koenma, we've got trouble!" Botan exclaimed as she ran inside of the room, not bothering to knock or at least announce her arrival.

"What are you talking about?" Koenma asked.

"It's Yusuke and the masked fighter!" she cried. "They've gone mad and decided to fight each other!"

"Oh, that's nothing to worry about," Koenma waved her off as he continued eating his meal.

Botan pounded her fists down on the table, causing the contents to shake and Koenma looked up at her.

"How can you eat at a time like this? We need to go and stop them!"

"You don't have to get so worked up!"

"This could bring about the end of Team Urameshi for all we know! A complete disaster-"

"Botan please calm down and listen," Koenma urged, setting aside his meal. "There's something you need to know…"

* * *

Hiei sighed as sheathed his sword, taking a break from his training. He couldn't seem to get Botan out of his head. He knew she had run off to Koenma, based off of the direction she was going in when she stormed off. He was the only one left for her to go to, seeing as the rest of the team had ignored her concerns.

Perhaps he should have tried to explain it to her, but he was sure that she wouldn't understand. Whatever was going on between the masked fighter and the detective was a long time coming. Their relationship had been strained for the past few days and their blowout was imminent.

His train of thought was interrupted when he heard a familiar smacking noise resounding in the air. He looked to the source to find Hiro strolling through the area, without a care in the world. Hiei glowered at the child, but he seemed unfazed by it.

"Hi Hiei," Hiro said with a wave.

"The woman's not here and I don't know where she might have gone to, so just leave me be."

"I was actually looking for you," he revealed, causing Hiei to look over at him in confusion. He rubbed the back of his head as he continued. "Botan said something yesterday about you maybe being willing to teach me a few tricks?"

"Forget it, kid. I was never going to train you in the first place and I am not in the mood for your antics."

Hiro frowned as he inspected the older man before him.

"Is something the matter? You look even grumpier than usual."

Hiei shot the boy a glare and Hiro took a few steps back.

"Geez, I was just trying to be nice. So who's the one that got you all upset?" Hiro questioned. "The masked fighter pretty much keeps to herself so I doubt she did anything to you. Maybe it was the know it all who kind of looks like a girl."

Hiei's anger subsided slightly upon hearing the child refer to Kurama in such a manner.

"Or maybe it was the two idiotic humans?" Hiro questioned, gauging Hiei's reaction.

At the fire demon's silence, the boy continued, all the while smacking his gum in between sentences.

"Could it be Botan?" Hiro muttered.

Hiei's frown deepened and Hiro smirked.

"Did she turn you down for the girly looking one?"

Hiei clenched his fist, resisting the overwhelming urge to hurt the child. He was fighting a losing battle and the noise that resulted from all of Hiro's chewing wasn't making it any easier.

"I bet she did, didn't she?" he teased, before smacking his gum once more, much louder than the others had been, causing Hiei to curse in frustration.

"Would you stop making that infernal sound?" Hiei ordered. "Swallow that blasted substance, or spit it out. I don't care what you do, just stop playing with it."

"But it's fun and it tastes so good! I have a few more pieces if you want to try some," Hiro offered as he shoved a hand in his pocket and procured a few colorfully wrapped items.

"I'll pass," Hiei said, before walking away.

"Hey, it's rude to walk off in the middle of a conversation!" Hiro called out, before huffing. "Now you've gone and ruined my mood. I guess I'll just come back for my lesson later!"

* * *

"So the masked fighter was Genkai this whole time?" Botan repeated.

Koenma nodded.

"And you didn't think this was something I should know?" she questioned.

Koenma shook his head.

"How could you keep this from me?" the ferry-girl cried in indignation.

"You're the resident blabbermouth! I couldn't tell you if I wanted to keep it a secret," Koenma retorted simply.

"Hmph!"

"You can sulk all you want, but you know I'm right."

Botan turned her nose up in the air and crossed her arms.

"I'm completely capable of keeping a secret! I'll have you know, I still haven't told anybody about your irrational fear of—"

"Botan!" Koenma yelped in embarrassment as George entered the room with a tray of food.

She put a hand over her mouth and gave him a guilty look.

"Am I interrupting something, sir?" George asked as he looked between the ferry-girl and the prince.

"No," Koenma replied, shaking his head. "I was just telling Botan about the masked fighter's true identity."

"Oh good, I was feeling guilty about keeping her in the dark," the ogre replied as he set the food down on the table.

"Even George knew about the masked fighter's identity?" Botan shrieked.

"Sorry," George grimaced.

"Oh it's not your fault," Botan soothed before turning over to Koenma. "Sir, you're not very fair. I can too keep a secret, especially one as big as this!"

"Well then you better restrain yourself and keep the rest of this a secret, because I haven't told you everything yet."

"Huh?"

"I already explained to you that right about now Yusuke should be undergoing his last ordeal as Genkai's pupil. Genkai will attempt to transfer her spirit wave onto Yusuke and if it is successful, Yusuke will gain an immense boost in strength and spirit energy."

"That's wonderful!" Botan cheered.

"That's not all," Koenma said gravely. "The spirit wave could essentially destroy Yusuke if his body and mind aren't strong enough to handle it."

"Oh dear," Botan sighed. "Are you sure he's even ready for something like that?"

"We don't really have much of a choice. It's now or never," Koenma replied grimly.

Botan's features softened and she lowered her voice.

"He'll be able to pull through, won't he?"

"It's still too early to tell. All we can do is leave those two alone and hope for the best."

Botan remained silent as Koenma continued.

"Under no circumstances are you to let Keiko or any of the others know about this. It will only serve to worry them further."

"I understand; I won't say a word."

* * *

As Botan trudged towards the place where she and Hiro had decided to meet up for the day, she couldn't help but feel guilty over the way she blew up on Hiei. He didn't know anything about Genkai or Yusuke's ordeal, so she supposed that her anger was justified, but the things she said weren't.

She fished through her pockets and pulled out a piece of gum. It was her last one, but she decided that there was no reason to save it for another time. She needed something to cheer her up, and as pathetic as it sounded, the gum was the only thing she had that would do the trick.

She unwrapped it and popped it into her mouth, instantly chewing on it and savoring the sweet flavor. As she continued to walk, she caught sight of a familiar black-clothed form resting on one of the thicker branches of a tree. Her face lit up in delight and she called out to him.

"Hiei! Are you awake?"

He cracked an eye open and then closed it.

"Oh, don't be like that! Just listen to what I have to say!"

"If I listen will you swear to leave?" he questioned.

"Yes! As soon as I'm finished I promise to be on my way!"

Hiei paused for a moment and she wondered if he was actually contemplating the validity of her statement. Did he not trust her? Perhaps she was a bigger pest than she thought and he wasn't in the mood to be bothered. Just as she was sure he had fallen asleep again, he jumped down from the tree and landed in front of her, causing her to squeal.

"You really have to stop doing that Hiei!" Botan admonished, taking a few steps backwards. "It's not nice to suddenly invade someone's personal space like that, you know."

"You had something you wanted to say?" he deadpanned.

"Oh, right! Well, I'm really sorry that I yelled at you like that," Botan apologized.

Although Hiei remained silent, his gaze was on her, so she continued.

"It was rude of me to blow up on you like that, but I was just tired of being left out all the time! And I was angry because you didn't seem to care at all that those two at each other's throats," Botan said exasperatedly. Hiei's silence was a bit unnerving, but he was watching her, or more specifically he was watching her mouth, so she had hoped he was paying attention to her words as she continued. "But even so, I suppose I shouldn't have said that you didn't have a single shred of compassion. I know that isn't true and it was wrong of me."

She waited for him to respond, to say something, even an insult, but when it never came she frowned.

"Are you even listening to me?" she asked exasperatedly.

Hiei lifted his gaze from her mouth to her eyes before speaking.

"I heard every word you said but it is all irrelevant to me."

Botan let out an indignant gasp and he continued.

"I don't need an apology," Hiei replied. "I'm not a sensitive or emotional creature like you."

"Well excuse me for trying to be nice," Botan muttered as she continued chewing her gum. She watched as Hiei's gaze settled on her mouth and slowed down in her actions. She distinctly remembered him staring at her mouth while she was trying to apologize, and then she finally understood. The reason Hiei was paying so little attention to her words was because he was distracted by his curiosity - over gum no less. It almost made her giggle. He was probably too prideful to take interest in anything from the human world, so he acted like he didn't care.

"This is called gum," Botan said suddenly, breaking the silence that had enveloped them. "They come in different flavors and you chew it until the flavor runs out."

"I don't recall asking you what it was," he interjected.

"But I saw you staring," she clarified.

"I was simply contemplating the stupidity of the human race. They waste their efforts inventing trivial crap like this when they could be using their time much more productively," he countered.

"It's not crap!" Botan defended. "If you tried it, you would think differently of it. I would offer you some, but this was my last piece."

"Is that so?"

She nodded.

"I'm sorry that I don't have any to give you, but I'm sure that you would love it!" she promised.

"I'll be the judge of that."

She did not understand why he was suddenly so close to her face, but she felt a sense of unease creep upon her as Hiei suddenly seemed to take on the same expression that dream-Hiei had, and before she realized what was going on his mouth had claimed hers in a kiss that left her breathless. By the time she had come to her senses, he was back in his original spot, with his hands crossed over his chest as he chewed on the piece of gum that was once in her possession.

"H-Hiei!" she yelped, covering a hand to her mouth as a blush crept over her face. "You… me… kiss! Why on earth… don't you know it isn't proper to-"

"Hn. There is nothing special about this," he replied, ignoring Botan's disconcerted state.

"You kissed me!" she let out finally as she pointed an accusing finger at him.

"Yes and you seem to have a penchant for stating the obvious," Hiei replied simply, his lack of interest only serving to infuriate her further.

"You can't just go around kissing people! Only pervy-dream-Hiei does that!" she exclaimed exasperatedly before stomping off in the opposite direction, ending their encounter much like their last one.

* * *

The girls, sans Botan, and the guys, sans Yusuke, were all gathered together in Hiei's and Kurama's suite. Hiei was quiet the whole time and kept to himself, wondering why they chose this particular room to gather in while the rest of them chattered away.

"I wonder where Yusuke is," Keiko sighed as she cradled Puu in her arms. "Puu's been acting strangely all day."

"He's probably off training or something," Kuwabara lied. "Don't worry about him, Keiko, you know he can take care of himself."

"I know I shouldn't worry, but it's like a bad habit. Worrying seems like the only thing I can do for him now," she admitted.

"Cheer up, girl," Shizuru said as she tossed her a drink. "He'll be back any minute. You'll see."

Keiko nodded and looked down at Puu.

"I hope so."

"Does anybody know where Botan is?" Shizuru asked. "Maybe she's with Yusuke. She is his assistant, after all."

"The last time I saw her was when Hiei ticked her off," Kuwabara recalled. "She's probably just avoiding him."

"You shouldn't speak of things that you have no clue of," Hiei retorted.

"If that was the case then Kazuma would never open his mouth," Shizuru added smugly.

"Shut up Shizuru! You're always embarrassing me in front of my friends," Kuwabara grumbled. "And it's not like what I said was untrue. You two were arguing and she stomped off because you were being a jerk."

"While that is true, it happened hours ago. Botan doesn't seem like the type to fester in her anger," Kurama interjected.

"Hm, you're right," Kuwabara admitted. "She's never been able to hold onto a grudge for more than thirty minutes."

"Like I said, you shouldn't talk, it only serves to show how ignorant you are."

Kuwabara was about to insult the fire-demon, but he closed his mouth and eyed Hiei suspiciously for a while. Eventually Hiei grew tired of being under his scrutiny and snapped.

"What is it?"

"You've been chewing on that gum for like, two hours now. Isn't the flavor long gone?" Kuwabara questioned.

"Maybe he likes the bitter taste?" Shizuru interjected. "To each his own."

Kuwabara then looked over at Hiei disgustedly before continuing in a low voice.

"He is pretty weird; I wouldn't put it past him…"

"Or perhaps Hiei just likes the person he got the gum from," Kurama reasoned, causing Shizuru, Keiko, and Kuwabara to give him bewildered looks. Yukina smiled at Kurama's suggestion and her expression didn't go unnoticed by Hiei, who bit back the colorful insult he was about to direct to the fox.

"You know, sometimes you say some really weird things, Kurama," Kuwabara admitted and Kurama only smiled knowingly in response.

Hiei shot the two a glare before exiting the room. He had been cramped up in the same room with everyone for far too long and without even realizing it, he had ended outside.

He chewed the gum and frowned once he remembered Kuwabara's words.

It was true, the gum's once sweet flavor had long been gone, but for some odd reason, he didn't want to discard it. It served as a poignant reminder of the woman and her startled expression. He thought back to how she was reduced to nothing but stuttering and blushing after he kissed her. Then he remembered how soft and pliable her lips were and he found himself wanting to do it again, wondering just how soft her skin was in comparison to her lips.

He froze in his tracks and frowned. He wanted to kiss the ferry-girl? It wasn't supposed to be this way. She was annoying and loud. She was flighty and skittish. She was pure and bubbly. Everything he hated and yet somehow had come to accept when it came to her and her alone.

Kurama did always say that Hiei was too impulsive, and for once, Hiei was seeing why the fox insisted that Hiei be more cautious. At the moment, he simply had the urge to kiss her and he was curious about the gum phenomena. It seemed like a quick and effective way of getting what he wanted, along with causing the ferry-girl to become flustered, which was always an added bonus. His plan backfired however, the moment he realized that kissing her was something he wouldn't mind doing a second time.

He quickly spit the gum out and glared at it, wondering if this was some sort of human perversion that occurred when two people shared one piece of gum. He discarded the thought once he realized that humans didn't have the means or capabilities to put a hex on anything, which led him back to his initial conclusion: he wanted to kiss the ferry girl again, of his own volition.

"Foolish woman…"

"It isn't nice to litter, Hiei!" Botan admonished and Hiei's eyes trailed up from the piece of gum and landed on her figure.

"I don't care."

"If I knew you would end up doing this, I wouldn't have given you any!" she said with a pout. "And it was my last piece, too…"

"You didn't give it to me," Hiei corrected. "I took it from you."

She blushed and averted her eyes from his.

"And in case you forgot, I can do it again, so don't test me."

"Well, technically, you can't."

He glared at her and she put her hands up in defense.

"It was my last piece!" she reiterated sheepishly.

Hiei rolled his eyes.

"What's got you so ill-tempered? If anything, I'm the one who should be upset! Your actions today were highly inappropriate!" she said, placing her hands on her hips.

"I fail to see your point."

"My point is…" Botan trailed off, wringing her hands nervously. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't do that again. It's not right."

"Does the thought of kissing a demon revolt you?" Hiei questioned suddenly, causing her eyes to go wide as she shook her head.

"No! It's nothing of the sort!" she explained hurriedly. "It's because I believe you should only do such things if you have feelings for the other person, and you clearly have no feelings for me." Her eyes remained on him as if waiting for a verbal confirmation. "Right?"

"Of course I don't," Hiei replied tightly.

"Of course you don't," she echoed quietly, forcing a smile on her face. "Well, I should probably get back to the others now."

She began to walk away, but stopped and turned back to him.

"Oh I almost forgot, Hiro hopes you're in a better mood now and he said he'll look forward to your match tomorrow," she said, lingering for a moment longer. "I think that was all… so I'll be going now."

"Woman," Hiei said and for the second time she stopped and looked back at him.

"Yes, Hiei?"

"Don't misconstrue what happened today. Sometimes things—"

"—just happen. They don't necessarily mean anything," she recited. "I remember what you said clearly and I guess you were right after all."

As he watched her walk away he couldn't quite classify what he was feeling. It was strange, but he almost wanted her to disagree with him. He wanted her to put meaning behind his actions and motives, as absurd as it sounded. He never used to be this way; he used to be firm in his beliefs and viewpoints, but now he was questioning himself and it was all because of her.

He knew that upon meeting Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara his life was forever changed. He knew what they stood for and what they believed in, and he vowed never to let those sentiments change who he was. But Botan entered the picture and he began questioning himself and his actions. He began doing things that he wouldn't normally do and it baffled him.

He wished he could go back to the days when things weren't so bewildering. Back to when he only looked out for himself and strength was the only thing he pursued. Back to when things were black and white and no shades of gray clouded his vision.

More than anyone else, he wished he could go back to a time when she didn't matter, because it seemed as though, once again, his life would forever be changed by another being.

* * *

Forgive me for using some dialogue straight from the series! I couldn't help it!

And sorry if this seems rushed. I tried as best as I could to get this chapter finished before the hurricane hits NY and I lose power.

On a lighter note, I'm relieved to get this chapter finally published. It was pissing me off because it felt so choppy and out of place, but I think I worked it all out!

Anyway, I'll stop boring you guys now! Please drop a review and let me know what you thought. Your feedback is what keeps me encouraged and motivated to complete this story!


	10. Chapter 10

More Than Anyone Else

"Talking"

'_Thoughts'_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

A/N: Dedicated to **Crystal Koneko**! I hope you cheer up, girl! I don't like hearing about you being sad.

Warning… chapter is long! You might be here for a while.

Chapter 10

* * *

To say Hiei was on edge was a bit of an understatement.

He wasn't simply on the edge; he had fallen so far past the edge that he could no longer see where the edge was.

It all began when he witnessed Botan's unnatural change in behavior; ever since she had disregarded their kiss with the same eagerness that he did.

Upon seeing her expression and hearing her words, a relentless feeling of irritation bubbled up within him, making his blood boil and his skin itch.

Even after a much needed night of solitude that had been uncharacteristically devoid of any unwanted distractions, the feeling remained.

His teammates sensed his frustration, so when he insisted on fighting in Yusuke's and the masked fighter's place, no one objected. A good battle was just about the only thing that would settle him down right now and he intended to defeat as many opponents as he could until the feeling was completely erased.

It was too bad for him that his first opponent, Makintaro, was an easy kill and proved to be nothing short of a disappointment.

The brute may have been strong, but his intelligence and speed were clearly lacking. Hiei felt no remorse in disposing of him, but he would lying if he said his irritation wasn't further amplified by the sight of Kuro Momotaro retrieving his sword out of Makintaro's lifeless body and kicking the corpse aside as if it were common trash. Hiei didn't care about respecting the dead. No, that wasn't what bothered him.

It was Kuro's total disregard of his teammate that made Hiei livid. For as long as he could remember, he valued loyalty. It was one of the few codes he lived by. It was one of the few things that mattered to him, and he would take extra care to dispose of Kuro – not for Makintaro's sake, but for his own.

Hiei's train of thought was interrupted as Kuro proceeded to lick his teammate's blood off of the sword with a sick grin.

"That's hardly hygienic, you have no idea how many creatures I've cut with that sword," Hiei informed.

"Let's add one more to your track record, then," Kuro announced as he turned the blade on himself and slashed his own arm with a maniac expression.

Hiei's eyes widened as blood spurted from Kuro's arm and the demon screamed in agony. He had never fought an opponent who willingly injured himself before, but there was a first time for everything. It figured he would be stuck with the psychotic one, he thought darkly as he watched the scene.

Eventually Kuro calmed down, panting heavily as he used his uninjured arm to retrieve one of the orbs on his belt. He smirked over at Hiei, extending his arm so that Hiei could see the small sphere shaped object that lay in his palm.

"This is the steaming sphere that seals your fate," Kuro warned as he closed his fingers around the orb, eventually causing it to disappear and leave a great cloud of smoke in its wake.

Although Hiei was unable to see through the thick fog without implementing his jagan, he sensed no change in his opponent's energy, causing him to be unperturbed. Eventually the smoke cleared away, revealing Kuro's new form. His body was covered in thick fur and he was now equipped with sharpened claws.

"This is my beast armor: armor of the ape," Kuro declared. He threw Hiei's weapon back at him before informing condescendingly, "You'll find that sword of yours no longer has the power to cut me."

"We'll just have to see about that," Hiei snarled, charging forward at breakneck speed. He intended to slice the fool's arm off and show him just how sharp his sword really was. The attack connected, hitting Kuro's arm, but Hiei was unable to follow through. He couldn't pierce the beast's skin and the force of the two warrior's struggle caused the sword to split into two. He clenched his fist around the hilt of his sword, scowling at the fractured piece of the blade that lay on the ground before him.

"I tried to warn you but you refused to listen," Kuro said in vain concern.

'_So the fool wasn't bluffing after all,'_ he thought, throwing his weapon to the ground.

"And my defense isn't the only thing that's improved," Kuro boasted before vanishing.

He was fast, but then again, so was Hiei. Kuro's speed didn't seem to increase by much, Hiei noted, as he adjusted his own speed so that he was a fraction faster. The two were engaged in a flurry of blows and blocks that most of the audience could barely see, let alone keep up with.

In the brief instant when Kuro had finally left himself unguarded, Hiei went in for the kill. However, the demon disappeared from Hiei's sight, his speed increasing dramatically as he fazed directly in front of the fire-demon. Hiei hadn't expected a sudden surge in his opponent's speed and the move caught him off-guard. He learned his mistake too late as Kuro's fists connected with his stomach. The fire-demon grunted in pain, unable to recover from the assault when Kuro interlocked his fingers and dealt another excruciating blow to the skull.

The strike sent Hiei crashing into the ring, causing the stone tiles to break apart and shatter upon impact. His body continued in its path only stopping once he had collided with the stadium wall that separated the ring from the stands.

"This is bad," Kuwabara muttered from the sidelines.

Kurama remained silent at his side, simply watching on cautiously.

"I bet you're wondering what just happened," Kuro quipped. "My body does this neat trick where it remembers the pain of my opponent's attack. All I have to do to get immunity is expose myself to a small amount of my enemy's offense. Once my body knows what attack to look for, then it's time for a good old steaming sphere."

"What does that do?" Kuwabara questioned.

"Think of it as a catalyst for my beast armor which makes me invincible to my opponent's attack. And much more handsome to boot," Kuro explained with a smirk.

"But that's no fair, there's no way Hiei can beat someone who's invincible!" Kuwabara bellowed.

Juri, who was engrossed in the conversation and forgot for a moment what her duties were, immediately began her count. She hadn't gotten very far before she stopped and the crowd began to grumble upon noticing Hiei rise on unsteady legs.

As Hiei reentered the ring, the demons began reciting what appeared to be one of their favorite chants.

"Kill Hiei, kill Hiei!" they urged with brutal contempt, but Hiei ignored all of it as he focused his attention on Kuro. Those damn spheres were no joke. They increased Kuro's speed, strength, and defense greatly, and the bastard had more at his disposal.

"Come on little man, what are you waiting for? Why don't you just bring out your dragon technique?" Kuro taunted.

"You want it?"

"As soon as you use your most powerful technique, you're good as dead."

"Who am I to turn down a fan's request? Just remember, you brought this upon yourself," Hiei warned, pulling his bandana off with a smirk.

The area around the stadium began to darken and crackle with Hiei's energy as the jagan opened up slowly. Hiei clenched his fists, gradually summoning as much energy as he could spare for the time being. It took some time because he was running low on power, but he figured it would be enough for a low-class piece of trash like Kuro.

"What's taking so long?" Kuro goaded. "Don't have what it takes to summon the dragon?"

"True pain takes time, you fool," Hiei announced, keeping his tone even. "Just try to keep yourself amused."

"Yeah, you show him, Hiei!" Kuwabara encouraged. "Kuro's memory must suck if he forgot what Hiei's dragon did to the last guy."

"Yes, but the dragon takes a considerable toll on Hiei. Think back to the injuries he sustained the last time he used the dragon," Kurama mentioned causing Kuwabara to frown. "If Hiei allows his ego to cloud his judgment the cost could be fatal."

"But, Hiei knows what he's doing, doesn't he?" Kuwabara questioned, his once confident air undermined by his uncertain tone.

"We will just have to wait and see," Kurama retorted, setting his sights back on the ring. "It seems as though he's just about ready."

Hiei smirked as he looked down at his arm that was now enflamed with energy. His attack was prepared and Kuro would finally experience the pain he deserved. He extended his arm fully and the energy shot out straight towards Kuro.

"Fists of the mortal flame!" Hiei shouted.

The energy snaked its way around Kuro's body, immobilizing him as it lashed out with a vengeance, scorching his body thoroughly. Kuro's anguished cries filled the stadium and all watched on in amazement.

Kuro's groans of agony were like music to his ears and Hiei smirked as he watched his opponent writhe in pain. He didn't need the dragon to dispose of someone as meager and unimportant as Kuro; he would save an attack of that magnitude for Toguro.

"I decided why use the flame of the underworld when the more mundane one of the human world would suffice," the fire-demon explained.

"So, he didn't have to summon the dragon after all!" Kuwabara concluded.

"That's right," Kurama said with a nod. "Rather than summoning flames from the pits of hell, Hiei used a less powerful, but lethal flame from the human world."

"Alright!" Kuwabara cheered. "Way to go, Hiei! You shut him up good!"

Hiei focused his attention back on his opponent and prepared to finish him off, when Kuro's cries unexpectedly melted into crazed laughter.

"And now I've memorized this pain, too," Kuro said as he pulled out another sphere, causing Hiei to frown.

This was going to be one long fight.

* * *

"Shizuru, you're taking too long!" Botan huffed.

The brunette was still inside of the hotel-lobby, procuring a drink from the vending machine as the rest of the girls waited for her impatiently.

"We don't have time to wait around; the boys could be in serious danger!" Keiko reminded.

"And if they are in danger, there's nothing we could possibly do to help them," Shizuru said coolly as she fished through her pockets for a few more coins.

"Yes, that may be true, but we should still at least be there to watch the matches!" Botan said hurriedly. "If you take any longer we'll miss—"

"A few more pulse-pounding seconds of the guys getting their asses kicked, I know, I know," Shizuru dismissed as she pushed her money through the slot and selected a drink.

Botan sighed at Shizuru's insistence on taking her time – they were already late and any further setbacks needed to be avoided at all costs. The team trainer should be present during all matches, no matter what!

Though, she supposed it was partly her fault that they were running so far behind schedule in the first place. She had suggested all the girls get together and spend "quality time" by staying up at late as possible partaking in frivolous games and activities.

Botan had only suggested the impromptu girl's night in order to get Keiko to quit worrying over Yusuke. Keiko had become flooded with worry when she learned that Yusuke and masked fighter stormed off in order to settle their affairs. Botan tried her best to assure her that they would be fine, but Keiko still had her doubts. Over the course of the night, they splurged on junk food and beverages, shared secrets, told stories, attempted makeovers, (which didn't suit any of them resulting in a quick return to their former styles) and played games, and Keiko hadn't frowned once.

In all of her attempts to get Keiko to cheer up, Botan also gained a clear mindset and she hadn't thought of Hiei once. She forgot about the kiss they shared, she forgot about the hurtful things he said about not having any feelings for her, and she forgot about the way she felt about him – just for one night.

Last night she had considered it a success but as she felt the aftereffects of little to no sleep combined with the stress of not knowing the condition of the boys, she realized that she might have overdone it.

Suddenly Keiko let out a shriek and she looked around about herself worriedly.

"Is everything alright, Keiko?" Yukina asked.

"No! I left Puu upstairs and I didn't even leave him any food or water!" the girl announced fearfully. "He's like Yusuke's other half! I have to go get him!"

"Wait!" Botan called out.

"I won't be long, I promise!" Keiko reassured.

Before Botan could protest any further, Keiko was already inside of the building.

"Oh poo!"

Yukina sent Botan a sympathetic glance.

"Please don't worry, Botan. I'm sure we haven't missed much, yet."

The ferry-girl nodded slowly.

"Yes, we can only hope so, Yukina," Botan said, her gaze set on the grass below her dejectedly.

She would feel a lot better if they were in the stands, cheering the team on, as always. As of right now, she had no clue of the status of the boys.

The semi-finals would prove to be much harder than their other matches, and Team Uraotogi were no pushovers. There was no telling what tricks they might have up their sleeves and without Yusuke and the masked fighter, the boys would have to fight even harder just to survive.

It seemed like all the odds were stacked against them and the fact that she wasn't there to witness what was going on was only serving to intensify her apprehension.

"I'm positive that Kazuma, Kurama, and Hiei are strong enough to make do … even without the aid of the masked fighter or Yusuke," Yukina finished.

Botan's head jerked up and she looked over at the ice-maiden with wide eyes. She had led the rest of the girls to believe that she was just as in the dark as the rest of them concerning Yusuke and the masked fighter. Shizuru and Keiko had assumed that the matter would be settled by now and all five teammates were fighting at this very moment, and Botan did little to deter their notions. It was an order, after all, and she couldn't have them worrying unnecessarily. It was a shock to her that Yukina had known all along that only three of the members were fighting while Yusuke and the masked fighter were still preoccupied with their final trial.

"H-how did you…"

"I haven't been able to sense either Yusuke or the masked fighter since their disappearance yesterday," Yukina admitted. "Don't worry, I won't say anything unnecessary."

Botan nodded thankfully as she looked at the ice-maiden. She knew a lot more than she let on and it seemed she wasn't nearly as naïve as they all made her out to be. Before she could say anything else, Shizuru rejoined them.

"Well, that's one down!" Botan said as she tapped her foot impatiently against the soft grass and checked her watch. At least she knew a shortcut that would get them to the stadium in record time. That should make up for the time they were losing while they waited for Keiko to return.

* * *

"If you thought my armor of the ape was badass, wait till you experience what my armor of the phoenix can do!" Kuro taunted.

Hiei winced.

Along with the hideous new appearance, in which the fur was replaced with yellow feathers and blue scales and talons appeared on his hands and feet, Kuro's voice had risen to a painfully high and grating pitch.

"Hn, colorful getup you've got there but it doesn't look so tough," Hiei mocked.

"Wanna see what it can do?"

Kuro jumped a few feet into the sky before shooting down towards Hiei, punching him in the face and sending him flying towards the stands.

"Poor," Hiei scoffed, clearly unimpressed with Kuro's new form.

He was unable to say anymore as Kuro appeared beside him, punching him and sending him flying in the opposite direction.

Hiei landed on his feet, albeit a bit less graceful than he would liked, before spitting some blood out. Kuro had already lunged towards him, but Hiei was ready. He used his extraordinary speed to confuse Kuro, vanishing and reappearing at various points.

Kuro examined Hiei's movements and patterns and when he thought he had the fire demon figured, he swiped out a clawed hand in Hiei's direction. To his surprise, his attack connected with nothing but air and Hiei disappeared from his senses.

"Left yourself wide open," Hiei admonished, reappearing right in front of Kuro. Both of his fists were enflamed this time around. "How about Double Fists of the Mortal Flame?"

Hiei unleashed a flurry of merciless punches, before jumping back to assess the damage. Kuro's body was charred all over and it looked as though he were about to keel over. Hiei smirked, but his relief was washed away when Kuro dove in for a surprise attack.

Hiei was able to evade it, but just barely.

'_So my mortal flame really is useless,'_ he thought, clenching his fists angrily.

"You never learn, do you, Hiei?" Kuro ridiculed. "Perhaps I should stop playing around and show you what this new form can really do."

The two opponents had vanished from the ring, using their speed to outmaneuver the other. When Hiei thought he had won, Kuro appeared in front of him and landed a series of torturous punches without giving the fire-demon any time to recover. The force of his blows were so strong that Hiei found himself plummeting towards the ring without the chance of breaking his fall or landing in such a way that wouldn't cause any further injuries. His descent was interrupted when Kuro grabbed a hold of Hiei's hands with one arm and secured his legs with the other arm, bending Hiei as if he were a mere doll, before kneeing the fire-demon in the back. He released Hiei's limbs before bringing his hands together and interlocking them as he landed a crushing blow to Hiei's stomach. Hiei grunted in pain, unable to recover from the assault when he was dealt with another powerful blow that sent him crashing into the ring.

Kuro landed on the ring shortly after and laughed at the sight of Hiei face down on the ground.

"You might as well just play dead; it would be a lot easier for you that way."

"Never!" Hiei snarled as he stood up. "You'll have to rip my arms and legs off to keep me down."

"You might not want to give him anymore suggestions, Hiei," Kurama warned.

"Yeah that's a good point!" Kuwabara said, nodding in agreement.

Hiei scowled. He was growing rather frustrated – with both his teammate's overbearing concern and Kuro's presence in general – not to mention tired. His body ached and his vision was blurred, but none of that mattered. He knew he would win in the end, the only problem was figuring out exactly how he could do that without summoning the dragon.

He spit some blood out before dragging his bandaged hand across his mouth with a scowl, all the while glaring at Kuro.

"I've got to say, Hiei. You are one stubborn opponent. You refuse to accept your weakness," Kuro said. "I could defeat you easily in this form, but then again, it might just be fun to go all the way and pick you apart piece by piece…"

Hiei looked on as Kuro once again reached for another sphere, before cursing violently.

* * *

Shizuru let out a violent sneeze and Botan cast a sympathetic look her way.

"The plants in this area tend to give me the most violent reactions, too!"

"It wouldn't be so bad if we weren't in this area for so long," Shizuru mentioned, giving Botan a pointed look.

Botan only dismissed her with a wave of her hand. Her eyes were beginning to water and she remembered this feeling; it happened once when Hiei was leading her back to the hotel, during the earlier days of the tournament. If they were encountering the same foreign plant, then that meant that they were close to the hotel and not the stadium! She would simply have to walk in the opposite direction and they would be at the ring in no time.

"Look alive ladies, I'm absolutely certain that we're almost there!" the ferry-girl cheered as she marched forward confidently.

"This shortcut isn't turning out to be as short as I had hoped," Keiko interjected a few moments later.

"And we've passed the same rock formation three times," Yukina added, glancing over at the odd-shaped boulder.

Botan came to a full stop, but didn't say a word.

"Are you sure we're not lost?" Shizuru asked.

"Lost?" Botan laughed nervously. "Why of course not, we just have to keep on going in the direction that I'm pointing."

The girls looked over at the ferry-girl and frowned when they noticed that both of her index fingers were pointed towards each other.

"You have no idea where we're going, do you?" Keiko asked sympathetically.

Botan shook her head, putting on her infamous cat-face. She had remembered following Koenma on a shortcut to the stadium once, during their stay on the island. She was sure it was a fairly simple and easy route, but as the girls trekked forward, she began to find herself more and more bewildered. Nothing looked familiar and she was absolutely certain that they were lost. She didn't have the heart to tell the girls that she had gotten them lost and wasted even more time, especially after the fuss she had made all morning about getting to the stadium without any more setbacks.

"We'll just have to head back to the hotel and take the normal route to the stadium, then," Shizuru offered.

The ferry-girl nodded guiltily.

"We'll simply have to use this as a learning experience," she offered cheerily.

"Yeah, lesson learned: never trust Botan with directions," Shizuru laughed.

* * *

Hiei's eyes narrowed when the smoke cleared, revealing yet another form.

"This is my third beast armor: armor of the wolf," Kuro announced. "I'm a hell of a lot stronger and as you can see I've got a few new sharp toys to play with."

Claws and fangs bared, he didn't bother saying any more words before charging forward and swiping at Hiei. The fire demon staggered backwards, barely regaining his balance when he came to a full stop. He looked down, mildly surprised to see that the only thing that had been damaged was his shirt. Four jagged lines across his shirt were a small price to pay, and if he had dodged a millisecond later, his internal organs would have decorated the floor of the ring, rather than the shredded pieces of blue fabric.

"It seems I am not quite used to this body yet, but I promise I won't miss your flesh again," Kuro informed.

Hiei took a step back, his foot colliding with the hilt of his sword. He looked down at it for a moment before shrugging.

"Might as well."

He stepped on the edge of the hilt, causing it to fly upwards and caught it with ease.

"Your sword didn't work on me before, so what makes you think it will have any use now?" Kuro sneered.

"I hate to use this attack and although I find it to be devoid of any taste or artistry, it should be fitting considering I'm using it against you."

Kuro laughed.

"You seem to enjoy pain, my little friend. No matter, I'm happy to oblige."

"I grow tired of your incompetence. Let's end this," Hiei replied monotonously.

Kuro nodded, signifying his eagerness to end this match as well, before leaping towards Hiei. The fire-demon avoided making the same mistake twice as he unleashed his full speed this time, holding absolutely nothing back. He slashed Kuro a few times before stabbing him through the gut. Kuro's lifeless body continued in its trajectory, his fangs sinking into Hiei's shoulders deep enough to draw a good amount of blood.

"Sword of the Darkness Flame!" Hiei roared as the dark fire shot through Kuro's back for all to see. The flame sprung to life, burning Kuro's body into nothing but ashes.

"What just happened?" Kuwabara mumbled.

"Now I understand, Hiei transferred his energy into the sword to lure the dragon out, containing it apart from his body. Though it wasn't as strong as his signature move, it was enough to pierce the beast armor," Kurama noted. "Kuro was dead even before his teeth even sank in."

"Psh, that's no different from what I do with my Spirit Sword," Kuwabara griped before the realization swept over him and he frowned. "Hey! Does he think my Spirit Sword is devoid of taste or artistry?"

"That's precisely what I think," Hiei answered, looking a little worse for wear, but victorious nonetheless.

"Well, that settles it. Since the remains of Kuro Momotaro have been down for more than ten seconds, the winner of this match is: Hiei!" Juri announced much to the chagrin of the audience.

The demons sitting in the stands became rowdy once more, causing Juri to whimper.

"Don't blame me for the outcome of the match, I'm just the messenger!"

"There will be plenty more chances for bloodshed, people!" Koto announced from her position in the stands. "We've still got Ura Urashima, Onji, and Shishiwakamaru left, and I'm sure they're ready to dish out some brutal and vicious revenge for their fallen comrades."

Wasting no time, Juri called for the rest of the fighters to join Hiei in the ring. The members of the two opposing teams stood face to face, with Juri in the center of it all.

Shishiwakamaru stepped forward, holding a pair of yellow dice in his hand.

They had decided beforehand that they would leave the conditions of the fight up to luck. Each six sided die represented the opposing teams, with each member's name inscribed on one side of the die. The sixth side held a free space, and Hiei insisted on keeping the free space, along with the spaces that contained Yusuke or the masked-fighter's names on it for himself. So far, fate had smiled down upon him, and he was able to take on the first two opponents. Even with two battles under his belt, the strange sense of aggravation hadn't dispersed.

"Get on with it, I've got an urge for three in a row," Hiei ordered impatiently.

Kurama didn't say a word, but his emerald eyes remained locked onto the dice, as if he could cause it to roll on his name by just staring at it. Hiei could sense his comrade's thirst for battle and while Hiei had participated in two battles, he couldn't quite say that his desire was fully satiated, yet.

"Don't roll my name yet, I wanna go last," Kuwabara muttered quietly to himself, as he surveyed the remaining members of Team Uraotogi. "The team leader should always go last!"

Shishiwakamaru nodded before throwing the dice up in the air. The two teams watched with baited breath as the dice hit the floor and rolled on the smooth surface of the ring before landing on two names.

Kurama's expression remained neutral, while Kuwabara let out a victorious shout and Hiei cursed.

* * *

"The next match will consist of a battle between Team Urameshi's Kurama and Team Uraotogi's Ura Urashima," Juri announced as the two combatants stepped forward.

"The third match must be starting by now!" Botan said as she looked at her watch. "We should hurry."

"Wait… I think something wrong with Puu," Keiko said, causing the girls to look over at the spirit beast. "He looks like he's in pain."

"You're right, the little guy doesn't look too good," Shizuru noted.

Botan looked down at Puu and frowned. The spirit orb was probably tearing Yusuke apart and as an extension of Yusuke's soul, Puu was experiencing the same agony as Yusuke.

Puu suddenly made a series of noises before breaking out of Keiko's grip.

"Puu! Please don't leave!" Keiko called out dejectedly, but the spirit beast ignored her as it flew off in the opposite direction.

Keiko continued to stare off into the direction that Puu had flown off in dismally and Shizuru and Botan exchanged worried looks.

"He probably just wanted to be alone," Botan said hurriedly, placing her hand on Keiko's shoulder. "He is an extension of Yusuke's soul, after all, and we all know how much Yusuke cherishes his solitude!"

"Yeah, I'm sure the little bugger will come back once he gets hungry or tired," Shizuru soothed.

"I hope so," was all Keiko said before the girls continued in the direction of the stadium.

* * *

Kurama had defeated Ura Urashima, despite the boy's foolish attempts to trap Kurama inside of his barrier and release the contents of the Idun Box. Although the ring was covered in thick fog and no one could see a thing, Hiei could feel the energy that was crackling through the air. It was Youko; a form that Hiei thought he would never see in his lifetime. The Idun Box was supposed to return the opponent to their younger years, but unfortunately for Ura, the item allowed Kurama to revisit his former days as a bandit and consequently revert to his most powerful form.

The smoke began to fade, allowing the onlookers a brief glimpse of Youko Kurama in all of his glory. It was clear that he had already disposed of Ura Urashima, and Hiei had a feeling that it was probably a painful and merciless death. The audience whispered uncertainly, some captivated by the legend of the spirit fox, others fearful. While most of the girls fawned over his short white ears, silver tail, long hair, and golden irises, Hiei was more interested in that chillingly cold and unmerciful gaze. Life as Shuichi Minamino had dampened his true instincts and made him soft, but when he was in his true form, Kurama was much more powerful and deadly.

As the last remnants of the Idun Box's smoke faded, Kurama's impressive energy began to wane and he transformed back into his normal guise as Shuichi Minamino.

"So you really are some kind of fox!" Kuwabara exclaimed in awe as Kurama rejoined the two. "And here I thought Hiei was just calling you by one of his weird pet names."

"I am," Kurama paused. "Or rather was, the spirit fox Youko Kurama. I have left that alias behind, however, and decided to live simply as Shuichi Minamino."

Hiei scoffed upon hearing this and Kurama only smiled knowingly.

A multitude of screaming and adoring girls interrupted caught Hiei's attention and his gaze shifted back towards the ring, where he noticed a conceited Shishiwakamaru standing in the center. He had stepped into the ring without the pair of yellow dice, and Hiei could only conclude that he intended on fighting next.

"They shouldn't be cheering for him; they should cheer for a real man!" Kuwabara grumbled, looking around at all of the girls who were absolutely enamored with the blue-haired demon.

"You, with the inferior face," Shishiwakamaru called out, pointing over at Kuwabara.

"Huh? Inferior?" Kuwabara muttered, his anger slowly building.

"Of course, who else would I be referring to?" he replied. "You must be bored as a side-show freak. Why don't you come up here and fight?"

"I'll be more than happy to wipe that smug look off of your pretty boy face!" Kuwabara growled.

Hiei realized what was going on. Shishiwakamaru was baiting Kuwabara into fighting a battle that the human would surely end up losing. The demon knew that he would be no match for himself of Kurama, so he chose the weakest person available: Kuwabara.

"Wait," Hiei ordered, putting a hand out in front of Kuwabara. "He appears to be their strongest fighter. Let me handle him."

"No," Kurama cut in. "Onji is a mysterious opponent; you should conserve your energy for the final match against him."

Hiei's expression hardened as he turned to Kurama.

"It's obvious you only want to fight Shishiwakamaru to learn the secrets of that age reversal. We can't allow any priorities to rank above victory. You will let me fight."

"Shishiwakamaru just insulted me!" Kuwabara reminded, stepping in between the two demons. "I should be the one to fight him!"

"I will take this fight," Hiei commanded.

"No, it is mine," Kurama asserted.

"I'm fighting him!" Kuwabara declared.

The three teammates were at a standstill as they glared at each other, none of them willing to back down. Kurama was the first to relent, giving the other two a look that made Hiei want to scowl. It was one of those all-knowing half smiles that the fox loved to make when he was about to suggest something absurd.

"Perhaps we should decide this with a game of janken."

"What the hell is that?" Hiei barked, irritated with the whole affair.

"Wow, you really didn't have a childhood, did you?" Kuwabara muttered.

"I pursue strength. I do not have time for your trivial rituals!" Hiei argued.

"It's a human game," Kurama said simply. "Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, and paper beats rock."

Kurama demonstrated the hand signs and Hiei nodded with a smirk.

"Pitifully simple."

"I've never lost janken a day in my life and I'm not about to lose now!" Kuwabara guaranteed.

The trio began to play the game, much to the amusement of Shishiwakamaru and the rest of the audience.

For the second time since they had arrived on this island, Kuwabara had actually won at something, and proved his earlier exclamation true. Luck was on his side it seemed, and he was the one chosen to fight against the next opponent.

At first the match consisted of nothing but silly words and insults, but it soon escalated into a physical brawl, in which Shishiwakamaru was winning effortlessly.

Hiei wasn't surprised, though. He hadn't expected anything less of the human and with the unusual items that Team Uraotogi was famous for, Hiei was sure that Kuwabara would have an even tougher time against this particular opponent.

* * *

The girls had finally reached the stadium and Botan grinned.

"Better late than never!" she sang upon entering the stands.

"Uh, Botan?" Keiko began hesitantly.

"Now, now, Keiko. I know that we might have missed a majority of the fighting, but at least we made it!"

"That's not what I was going to—"

"Hm, where shall we sit? It's always so crowded in here—" Botan let out a strangled cry as she faced the stadium and found it completely empty. "Where on earth is everyone?"

"That's what I was trying to say," Keiko said with a sigh. "Do you think they might have postponed today's matches or something?"

Botan shook her head.

"I distinctly remember Lord Koenma telling me that the matches were being held today!"

"Now that you mention it, I remember Kuwabara saying something about the semifinals being held elsewhere," Shizuru recalled.

"You don't happen to remember where exactly 'elsewhere' is, do you?" Botan questioned hopefully.

"Not a clue," Shizuru responded.

"Oh poo!" Botan sighed.

"I guess we have no choice but to go back to the hotel and wait for the guys to show up," Shizuru suggested.

"Some team-trainer I'm turning out to be," Botan muttered.

"It's alright Botan, I'm sure the guys will understand," Yukina soothed.

"I've got it!" the ferry-girl suddenly cheered, procuring Yusuke's communication device out of her pocket with a grin. "I'll just call Koenma and ask him for directions!"

The others looked on hopefully as Botan hit a few buttons and awaited a response. Her smile wavered when the first attempt failed, but she tried again, and again. After her fourth call, she finally gave up and closed the communicator before stuffing it back into her pockets with an aggravated sigh.

"If only we could get some sort of sign!" Botan bemoaned, looking towards the blue sky.

"I doubt the answer's just going to fall out of the sky, Bo," Shizuru stated, putting her hands on her hips.

Just then a loud bang emitted from the atmosphere and a dark cloud appeared, covering the sunlight and darkening the area around the ring. Thunder roared and lightning flashed and out of the chaos a single voice could be heard screaming fearfully. The girls looked over in wonder as the source of the noise became apparent and Kuwabara came crashing down onto the ring.

A delighted grin spread over Botan's features and they all ran towards the orange-haired boy.

"Try that again Shishiwakamaru!" Kuwabara yelled, jumping up into a fighting stance. "I swear I'm gonna rearrange that pretty boy face of yours – uh, wait a minute, where am I?"

The teen looked around, before scratching his head sheepishly and turning around. His eyes lit up when he spotted the girls.

"Hey ladies!"

"What on earth are you doing here Kuwabara?" Botan questioned.

"Well, I was fighting Shishiwakamaru and he used this weird cape thing to transport me to another dimension. I guess it failed and ended up taking me here instead."

"So in other words, you lost again," Shizuru clarified.

"No!" Kuwabara bellowed. "He cheated! I could have taken him, sis!"

"Could have isn't good enough," Shizuru berated as she proceeded to show her younger brother the correct way to defeat an opponent.

Botan grimaced as she watched the brunette put Kuwabara into a vicious chokehold.

"Um, I don't mean to interrupt, but do you know the way to the new stadium, Kuwabara?" Keiko asked hesitantly.

Kuwabara nodded as best as he could under Shizuru's grasp and the elder Kuwabara finally released him.

"Good, then make yourself useful," she ordered.

* * *

Shishiwakamaru rolled the dice again and to Hiei's satisfaction, Team Urameshi's die landed on the masked fighter. As per their earlier agreement, Hiei would step in whenever the masked fighter or Yusuke's name was rolled.

"I said from the start I would be the substitute, I just didn't know it would be this much fun," Hiei announced. "Assuming you don't mind, Kurama."

Hiei took a confident step forward but was halted by the hand that landed on his shoulder.

"Wait."

Hiei turned around to view the masked fighter, eyeing her critically as his eyes narrowed.

"And just who the hell are you?"

The masked fighter remained silent and Hiei continued.

"I hope you don't expect me to believe that you're the same masked fighter who was on our team before, you imposter. She had tremendous power; you're a weakling."

"Yusuke has it now," she said simply, her voice weary.

"She could be telling the truth," Kurama admitted. "She has the same smell, only… older."

Hiei looked back at Kurama before relenting. He wasn't a fool; he knew by now that Kurama's instincts were rarely ever wrong. If this was the same person as before, then he would let her fight, and if she lost, he would just have to step in.

The two fighters engaged in a series of quick footed movements; the masked fighter on her guard as Shishiwakamaru charged forward with his weapon, the banshee shriek. Shishiwakamaru was on the offensive as he slashed his sword in the air, trying to land an attack. He missed by an inch, but managed to remove the masked fighter's mask and Hiei growled when he saw her appearance.

"She is an imposter."

"No… she is not," Kurama replied his tone even and confident.

The audience broke out into an uproar, believing that the Urameshi team had been cheating this whole time by switching in different members and Hiei clenched his fists. Just what the hell was going on?

* * *

"So, how were things looking this round? Do you guys have a good chance of winning even with you screwing up?" Shizuru asked as the group made their way through the forest.

"Team Uraotogi has all of these weird items to help them out and we were short two teammates to begin with since Urameshi and the masked fighter disappeared on us – ow! What'd you do that for Botan?" Kuwabara yelped, rubbing his side where Botan elbowed him.

"Yusuke still didn't come back, yet?" Keiko exclaimed frantically.

Kuwabara instantly realized his mistake and Botan glared at him before putting her hands on Keiko's shoulders.

"Don't you worry dear; I can assure you that Yusuke is fine. I'm his assistant, as well as the grim reaper, remember? I would know if he was in grave danger!" she answered eagerly.

"Yeah and I'm spiritually aware, so I'd be able to feel if something happened to Urameshi," Kuwabara added.

"You don't think they would seriously hurt each other, do you?" Keiko asked.

"Urameshi may be a punk, but he wouldn't kill his own teammate," Kuwabara replied. "And the masked fighter helped us save those guys from Dr. Ichigaki's team, so she must be a good person, too."

Keiko nodded, taking their words to heart.

"Rather than focusing on how much you're worried about him, why don't you focus on how happy you'll be when you finally see him again," Shizuru suggested.

"Thanks guys," Keiko conceded, smiling lightly. "I'm sure Yusuke will be alright. He always pulls through in the end…"

"That's the spirit. Besides, if you ask me, Yusuke's the safest one on the team," Shizuru pronounced. "It's Kurama and Hiei who've got it bad. They were already at a huge disadvantage without Yusuke and the masked fighter. And now that my brother lost the match, who knows what trouble they're in."

"Nah, don't worry about it, they're both tough. There are only two opponents left and Hiei's really eager to fight today. He's pulling out all the stops with his freaky dark powers," Kuwabara revealed.

"Hiei has the gifted eye, doesn't he?" Yukina questioned curiously.

"No! It's not gifted, it's gross," Kuwabara corrected. "And don't go thinking he's a great guy, because he's rotten to the core."

"Kuwabara that's a horrible thing to say!" Botan cried.

"You always used to say he gave you the creeps and after how he treated you yesterday, I thought you would think the same thing too," Kuwabara shot back, referring to the argument he and Kurama had witnessed between the fire-demon and the ferry-girl shortly after Yusuke's and the masked fighter's blowout.

"I haven't the slightest clue of what you're getting at," Botan lied. "I've always thought he was a swell guy and you shouldn't say such things in front of Yukina, especially since she happens to be—"

"_Yes, tell them all I'm her brother. I'll take great pleasure in torturing you to death."_

Botan's hands shot over her mouth and she walked off without giving any warning to the others.

"Sometimes, I worry about that girl," Shizuru muttered as she watched Botan continue to talk to herself.

"Oh Hiei, I'm so sorry. Kuwabara was saying some really thoughtless things and I didn't want Yukina to think ill of you, but then I said too much and I almost let it slip. I wasn't even thinking!" she apologized.

"_Yes, you rarely ever do."_

"There's no need to be so cruel about it!"

"_Hn."_

"Yusuke!"

Keiko's startled cry broke Botan out of her thoughts and she looked over to the scene. Yusuke's unconscious body was lying on the edge of the forest floor, propped up against a tree with Puu at his side.

Botan made her way over to the area and let out a sigh of relief. He did it. He fully integrated the spirit wave into his body. She looked around for Genkai and shrugged, figuring she was just tired from the ordeal and went to get her rest.

"I wonder if he'll sleep for as long as he did when we first arrived here," Kuwabara wondered.

"Who knows, he looks pretty worn out, but okay nonetheless," Shizuru noted.

"He's more than okay, he has the Spirit Wave Orb now," Botan announced.

"The what?" Kuwabara echoed.

"The Spirit Wave Orb," she repeated. "He just finished Genkai's final test and gained a massive power boost. The power should be enough to defeat Toguro, but it's up to Yusuke to use it properly. It's all in his hands, now."

"Wait a minute! Genkai's final test? So you mean she's around here somewhere?" Kuwabara asked.

"She's been with you all along," Botan informed.

A look of realization slowly dawned on Kuwabara's features and he pointed at Botan.

"The masked fighter?"

Botan nodded.

"When she used the Spirit Wave Orb, it caused her body to revert to its most powerful form. Now that she no longer possesses the orb, she can no longer access its power, or take on the form of her younger self."

"I see," Kuwabara said slowly. "So you knew all this time?"

"Well, not exactly. Koenma just recently informed me. I was just as clueless as the rest of you up until a little while ago," she admitted. "I'm sorry I couldn't say anything."

"It's alright… none of that matters," Keiko said softly. "As long as Yusuke's safe, that's all I care about."

Botan smiled down at her and nodded.

"Ugh! The match is still going on, we've got to go and see how Kurama and shorty are doing!" Kuwabara said as he suddenly remembered the state that the team was left in.

"That's right! Well, we'll just leave Yusuke in your care, Keiko!" Botan decided as the others nodded in agreement.

Keiko opened her mouth to protest, but they had already passed through the gates leading to the stadium.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Botan giggled before running out of Keiko's line of sight.

* * *

Hiei had only entered Botan's mind to get some answers. She was the detective's assistant, and therefore the closest link to Yusuke when it came to his duties as Spirit Detective. The masked fighter said something about her power being with Yusuke now and if Yusuke was getting a power boost, Botan should have at least been alerted as to what was going on. But once he entered her mind, he found himself having to prevent her from leaking his relation to Yukina, yet again. He wasn't surprised at this point – he had witnessed her penchant for blabbing on more than one occasion – but he was a bit surprised that once again, she was trying to defend him in the presence of others. When their link ended, Hiei was able to find some answers within the most likely source: Toguro. He had stepped in momentarily, if only to calm the belligerent audience down. He revealed the masked fighter's true identity as Genkai and explained that her younger appearance is a result of her body reverting to its most powerful form when she implements the spirit wave technique.

Hiei watched as Genkai continued to battle Shishiwakamaru through sharp eyes. This was the psychic who trained Yusuke and the woman who helped their team claim victory during each and every round. He was impressed with her strength in the past, but now it seemed lackluster.

"Genkai's doing a superb job, especially with most of her power depleted! Then again, even without her energy being transferred over to Yusuke, Genkai is and always will be a survivor!"

Hiei turned to the side and there was Botan, standing at the ring's edge with a grin. He was just thinking about her and there she was. She was the source of his irritability, but when he looked at her now, he didn't feel so irritated.

"Woman, what are you doing down here?"

"Me?" she asked, pointing to herself sheepishly. "Why, I've been here all along! I saw how you defeated two opponents – you were all revved up and ready for more!"

Hiei stared back at her, clearly unconvinced and she fidgeted nervously under his gaze.

"Kurama did a smashing job as well!" she said hurriedly. "That rose-whip of his never seems to fail, does it?"

"Kurama turned into Youko. He defeated Ura Urashima without the use of his rose-whip."

"He did?" she exclaimed in surprise. "Oh I can't believe I missed such a rare sight!"

"You still failed to answer my question," he reminded her and she frowned.

"Well you see… we sort of only just arrived here because we over-slept! And then we got lost on the way to the stadium because I tried to find a shortcut and by the time we backtracked and arrived at the stadium, we realized we were at the wrong one! But Kuwabara showed up in the nick of time and he led us here!" she finished, pointing over at Kuwabara, who was standing alongside Yukina and Shizuru at the top of the stands.

"I don't care about any of that. What are you doing _here_?" he clarified.

"I'm the team-trainer! Of course I'll be down here," she replied as if it were fairly obvious.

Before he could get another word out, the stadium became filled with the cries of shrieking ghouls and apparitions. They swarmed all over the area, devouring lesser demons in the stands.

He looked over to the ring and realized that this was the banshee shriek's ability. As his eyes scanned the area, he noticed that Yukina had put up an ice-barrier, effectively shielding herself and the others from any threat.

He looked back at Botan, who had just ducked and saved herself from an untimely demise, before sighing. She seemed to attract trouble like a magnet.

"Isn't this considered cheating?" Botan exclaimed, eying the ghouls warily.

She squealed when one came a bit too close for comfort, but Hiei had taken care of it before it could harm her.

"You're a nuisance," he remarked. "Go back with the others."

"Oh, Hiei! You're hurt!" she exclaimed, only now taking notice of his injuries and ignoring his earlier order. "You shouldn't push yourself this hard!"

"This is nothing."

"It looks painful," she said, putting a hand on his injured arm.

"I'm fine," he gritted.

"But—"

"Botan," he said lowly, pulling away from her. "Let me be."

She was clearly taken back and he was aware that he had used her name for the first time in his life, but he needed her to stop worrying about him and most of all, he needed to distance himself from her. It was not having good effects on his body or his mind.

"Hiei…" she breathed out slowly. "Are you sure everything is alright?"

"It will be once this is all over," he gritted.

"Yes, I suppose once this tournament is all over you'll be free of all of this senseless fighting."

Hiei could only shake his head. Unbeknownst to her, he wasn't referring to the tournament. He was referring to the strange spell she had cast on him.

"Where is the detective now?" he asked suddenly.

"Oh, he's just resting. He undertook one of the hardest trials he has ever faced, even more grueling than regaining his life."

"He always manages to sleep through an entire round," Hiei scoffed. "He should learn not to rely on others so easily."

"He trusts in your strength," Botan said simply. "It's what teammates do."

"How foolish."

Botan only smiled back at him, giving him one of those looks that he couldn't stand. His chest tightened and he forced himself to focus his attention towards the ring. It was bad enough that the sense of irritation had dispersed upon her arrival, but now, an even stranger sensation had taken over.

* * *

Genkai ended up defeating Shishiwakamaru, proving that experience outranked underhanded tricks. Hiei was anxious to fight once more, but the die rolled on Kuwabara's name instead of his own. The fool had a chance to make up for his pathetic loss at the hands of Shishiwakamaru, but he had succumbed to the same technique and was transported away from the ring, once again failing. In the end, Genkai had taken care of Onji – who turned out to be a much younger demon named Suzuka in disguise. It was a long and trying round, but they came out victorious. There was just one more obstacle to overcome and it would be the toughest of all.

As Hiei trekked onwards in the forest, he came upon a familiar form. It was Hiro, the annoying brat that trailed the woman's every move. He would have simply avoided the boy altogether, but his attention was caught when he noticed the child attempting to practice swordsmanship.

He was slashing the air clumsily with a stray branch and although his form was horrible, Hiei could see the determination reflected in his eyes.

"You're doing it all wrong," Hiei said suddenly, causing Hiro to drop the stick he was holding and frown in embarrassment.

"I wasn't really trying or anything," Hiro insisted stubbornly, trying to hide his humiliation.

"Show me the correct way to handle a sword, then."

Hiro stared at Hiei uncertainly before picking up the stick and mimicking his earlier actions. He continued for a while, before giving up.

"Okay so maybe I don't know what I'm doing," Hiro said, throwing the stick to the ground in frustration. "But at least I don't go around spying on people from the shadows like some kinda stalker."

"Pick it up again."

"Huh?"

"Don't make me repeat myself."

Hiro nodded obediently, retrieved the makeshift weapon, and looked up at Hiei expectantly.

"While there are many things wrong with your technique, the most obvious problem is your form."

Hiei instructed Hiro in the basics and was surprised to see that the boy to be a quick learner. He wasn't really sure why he was helping him, but he found it was much easier to deal with the child when he was obedient and quiet.

As Hiro continued in his practice, Hiei sat down on the grass, eying his broken sword critically. Under normal circumstances it was too big for the boy, but after his fight against Kuro, the length was just about right. Hiei would have to find a more suitable training weapon for him, but this would prove far more effective than a branch for the time being.

"Use this instead," Hiei ordered, motioning over to the sword.

Hiro's eyes lit up, but he hesitated.

"You sure… I mean, don't you need it for the finals?"

"I have no use for a broken weapon."

Hiro reached his hand out and grasped the hilt, fumbling with it once Hiei let go and found himself having to use both hands to hold it properly.

"Well, thanks, Hiei."

The fire-demon gave no response as he watched Hiro brandish the sword experimentally. His technique had improved after such a short lesson. Suddenly the boy stopped, turning to the older demon expectantly.

"So, how did you get to be so strong?"

"I trained."

"So if I keep this up," Hiro began breathlessly. "I'll be as strong as you one day?"

"No," Hiei snorted.

Hiro's expression deflated and Hiei looked him over once more before turning his head away.

"Maybe."

"Awesome!" he exclaimed with renewed vigor as he punched a fist in the air.

Hiei didn't even know what he was doing here with Hiro. It was all so unnatural and uncharacteristic of him. A few months ago he would have never been this pleasant – if you could call it that – to anyone, and yet here he was, teaching the boy how to fight and sugarcoating things for his benefit.

"Botan was right about you, you're a lot nicer than you let on."

Hiei's face crinkled in disgust as he looked over to the boy.

"What?"

"She said that even though you act like you don't care, you find other ways to show it."

"You shouldn't always take what people say at face-value. She doesn't know me like she thinks she does. And neither do you," Hiei said grimly, before standing up and preparing to leave.

"She also said you were kind of like a kid, and when things don't go your way you throw a tantrum," Hiro said snidely.

"Don't you have a bedtime?" Hiei snapped irritably as he glared down at Hiro.

"The sun didn't even set, yet!" he claimed, pointing to the sky.

"Well then, go bother the foolish woman. I'm tired of babysitting."

"She isn't foolish," Hiro quickly defended.

Hiei raised a brow and looked down at the boy questioningly.

"She's kinda weird, but she's still a good person."

"You like her," Hiei observed.

"Of course I do!" Hiro answered proudly. "We are friends, after all."

"Why am I not surprised," Hiei muttered. She had gone and brainwashed the child into believing in one of her idealistic and frivolous notions about friendship and camaraderie. It seemed as though she rubbed off on everyone she came in contact with.

"Why is she always alone, anyway?" Hiro asked suddenly causing Hiei's attention to snap back towards the younger demon.

"What are you talking about, boy?"

"Every time I run into her, she's separated from the rest of her friends."

"I don't see why that should be your concern."

"I don't see why it _isn't_ yours."

Hiei was silent for a moment and Hiro continued.

"Don't _you_ like her?"

"What?"

This was the second time the child insinuated something like this and Hiei couldn't understand why.

"You two are always together… I just figured—"

"Don't be foolish," Hiei interposed. "She means nothing to me."

"You might think I'm naïve or something just 'cause I'm young, but I'm not," Hiro said, his arrogance returning in full. "You don't have to lie to me."

"Kid…" Hiei growled out, clenching his fists in a lame attempt to control his anger. It seemed whenever he was around Hiro, his patience wore thin.

"There you two are!"

Her voice broke through the staring contest the two had been having and they turned their attention towards her.

"See, what did I tell you? All alone, yet again," Hiro pointed out, his voice quiet enough so that only Hiei could hear him.

Hiei cast the boy a disparaging look before setting his sights back on the ferry-girl.

"What are you doing here, woman?"

"I was just looking for Hiro! I thought we could spend some time together," Botan announced cheerily.

"Really? I was just about to turn in," Hiro lied, causing both adults to look down at him in confusion.

"But I came all the way out here just for you!" she exclaimed, a disappointed frown tugging her lips downward.

"I'm kinda tired from all that training and…" he paused to send a pointed look over at Hiei. "It's probably past my bedtime or something."

"Bedtime?" Botan echoed outrageously. "But the sun hasn't even begun to set yet!"

Hiro let out an animated yawn and stretched his arms upward. He turned to Hiei with a smirk and spoke lowly.

"There, I'm letting you spend the rest of the day with her as payment for teaching me a few things. Don't say I never did anything for you!"

He ran off before Hiei could say anything, and even so, there wasn't much he could say without catching Botan's attention.

"Well, that was odd," Botan said as she watched Hiro scurry off. She had gone through all the trouble of searching for him and when she finally found him, he had other plans.

"He is an odd child; I wouldn't look too much into it," Hiei gritted, turning his head the other way.

Botan put a finger to her chin, thoughtfully.

"He said something about training and he had your sword in his hand when he ran off," she began, her face lighting up immediately. "Did you really train him?"

"If you could call it that," Hiei said.

"Oh Hiei, I could just hug you!" Botan gushed.

He sent her a glare and she smiled sheepishly.

"But I won't!"

"Good."

Now that she thought about it, Hiro did seem happier than usual. He must have really enjoyed learning a few things from Hiei, and the fact that Hiei was willing to help him out made her genuinely happy. It was things like this that made her fall for him – his subtle way of taking an interest and actually doing something about it.

"I don't think he will ever admit it, but he really admires you," Botan revealed.

"If sarcastic remarks and continuous pestering are what that kid has to offer to people he admires, I would hate to see the way he treats someone he disdains."

"He's just a little rough around the edges and he likes to put a guard up on occasion – I guess he's a lot like you in that aspect," Botan mused with a gentle smile.

Hiei's eyes narrowed at the comparison and Botan giggled.

"I'm glad you helped him with his training, he needs someone to teach him these things. And you even lent him your sword!"

"I didn't do much," Hiei claimed. "Besides, the sword is useless to me now."

"You don't realize just how much your actions affect others, do you?" she said amusedly, although she couldn't hide the touch of sadness that leaked into her tone.

"Perhaps you just look too deeply into things," Hiei reasoned, before looking over at her. "And to think, all this time I had you pegged as a thoughtless ditz."

Botan glowered with all the fierceness she could muster, which didn't amount to all that much, before pouting.

"I swear, you can be such a jerk sometimes!" she said, moving her arm to poke him but then stopping midway as she took notice of his injuries again.

"I already told you, it's nothing."

"It doesn't look like 'nothing' to me," she muttered under her breath, eying his injuries over slowly before her eyes lit up. "There's no one around, and I'm sure I could have you patched up in a jiffy!"

"No," he said sternly.

"Oh come on, Hiei. Swallow your pride and just let me help you!"

"No."

"Stop being so stubborn!"

"I refuse."

"In the time it takes for us to argue I could have healed you already," she gritted.

"I don't care."

Hiei!" she said exasperatedly. "I'm going to heal you whether you like it or not. You might not care about your health, but I do!"

She advanced towards him, but he caught both of her wrists effortlessly.

"I know that you care," Hiei said in a strained voice. "But must you insist on reminding me every damn second?"

She felt her heartbeat quicken and she avoided his gaze.

"I-I don't understand."

"If I let you do this, will you promise to stop concerning yourself with my affairs?"

Botan was silent for a while, her features becoming increasingly more worried as she mulled over the idea.

"Never mind," he cut in impatiently, releasing her wrists. "You probably couldn't stop caring about someone if your life depended on it. Just go ahead."

She blinked as the realization slowly dawned on her and she let out a surprised gasp.

"Really? You'll let me heal you?"

"Make it quick and don't overdo it," he ordered and in an instant she was at his side, her white magic flowing from her fingertips to his injuries.

While she might have been upset yesterday over his cold words, she realized that it was a part of who he was. For Hiei, actions speak much louder than words; the things he did and the things he said often contradicted each other greatly. Just the other day he adamantly refused to help Hiro with his training and there he was, teaching him the basics. He would have never allowed himself to be healed by another person, and yet here she was, healing him while he was conscious and willing.

He wasn't nearly as horrible as he thought he was and more than anyone else, she wished that he could see that.

* * *

Told ya it was a long chapter! I sort of got carried away!

As always, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the continued support and wonderful feedback – I love hearing what you all have to say. Please drop a review and let me know what you thought about this chapter, too.

Oh and I just thought I'd clarify since people have been asking, Hiro has no relation to Hiei or Botan whatsoever. He's not their son from the future or anything like that, but the idea of it would be pretty damn cool! I never really planned for him to have such a huge role, but it sort of just played itself out like that.


	11. Chapter 11

More Than Anyone Else

"Talking"

'_Thoughts'_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

A/N: You guys had me rolling in some of your reviews. I was sad to hear that lots of you are stressed out by various things, so this one goes out to all of you! Cheer up and hopefully things will become better.

Chapter 11

* * *

She was smiling as she worked on healing him. He didn't understand why she looked at him like that, with so much overwhelming emotion. Whenever he did something or said something, it seemed to affect her in various ways.

He was certain of one thing though, as much as he hated to admit it, he didn't want to see her get hurt, physically or emotionally. She had been added to the small list of people that he was honor-bound to protect, the only others on that list being Kurama and his sister.

His words had the ability to keep her floating above the clouds.

They could just as easily send her tumbling through stormy skies.

If it had been a few months earlier, the latter would have seemed like something he would take pleasure in doing, but now he simply could not bring himself to do it. As much as he hated to admit it, he much rather preferred her to remain the way she was when she was happy.

It was foolish, he knew that all too well, but it was the truth, and as the thought developed in the back of his mind, that indiscernible feeling bubbled in his chest. It seemed to settle right in his heart and every beat forced the sensations coursing through his veins; spreading it all over his whole being.

"There all done!"

He looked down at his hands, and found them absent of any injuries or bruises. Perhaps the odd sensation was due to her white-magic.

Whatever it was, he could do without it.

He suddenly became distracted by the sound of footsteps coming their way. After a few moments, Kuwabara came through the path, looking disgruntled.

"Oh, hey guys," Kuwabara said, looking a little worse for wear. "So I take it the match is over now, huh?"

Botan nodded sympathetically, noting the sullen look on his face.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Kuwabara nodded silently.

"You fell to the same trick twice and lived to tell the tale," Hiei scoffed. "Must be the luck of a fool."

"Shut up shorty, it was a simple mistake! How was I supposed to know that Onji would trap me in that bubble?" Kuwabara retorted angrily. "Not all of us have a third-eye that lets us invade other people's thoughts."

"The point is, you've been doing nothing but lose ever since we arrived on this island," Hiei said harshly, causing Kuwabara's shoulders to slump in defeat as his expression settled into one of regret. "Pull your own weight on this team and stop leaving behind messes for us to clean up."

"Hiei!" Botan began.

"No, he's right," Kuwabara muttered, his expression dark. The teen didn't say anymore as he turned on his heels and stormed off.

"Kuwabara, wait! Don't go!" Botan called out, her hand reaching forward in vain as she watched him disappear. She turned to Hiei with a frown and crossed her arms over her chest. "Did you have to be so cruel to him? He's trying his best!"

"His best isn't good enough."

"That's—"

"He was only telling the truth," Kurama said, stepping out of nowhere.

"Where on earth did you come from?" Botan asked, flabbergasted.

Kurama smiled, but didn't answer her question.

"Kuwabara needed to hear those words. Death is a highly probable outcome when facing an opponent on Toguro's team. Perhaps this will give him the motivation he needs to win and more importantly to survive," Kurama clarified.

Botan nodded slowly.

"I think I understand."

"In other words, Hiei was only trying help our friend," Kurama simplified, casting Hiei a knowing glance.

Hiei glared in return.

"I was merely speaking the truth; don't twist my actions into some sort of noble act," the fire-demon snarled.

"That's so kind of you, Hiei!" Botan gushed, ignoring his earlier remark completely causing Hiei's frown to deepen.

"Woman it was not—"

"Yes, it is very kind of him," Kurama interposed with an amused smile.

"Kurama…" Hiei gritted out dangerously.

"Oh Hiei, you really are a softy deep down, aren't you?" Botan exclaimed.

Hiei glared at the two of them before storming off, leaving nothing but the faint trail of his energy indicating that he had been there to begin with.

"Oh poo, now he's going to give us the silent treatment for the rest of the day," Botan muttered.

"I suppose it was my fault. I'll apologize later."

"What do you mean?"

"I was in need of a distraction and I suppose I used Hiei to accomplish that goal."

"Is something the matter?"

Kurama remained silent, his emerald eyes clouded over as he recalled his earlier encounter with two members of Team Toguro.

"You can tell me if something is wrong, Kurama. I can see that you're worried," Botan urged.

"I had a run in with a few of our opponents," Kurama explained. "Karasu and Bui."

"Are you alright?"

"Physically, I'm fine," Kurama started. "However, Hiei was right with his earlier words. No matter how harsh or cruel they might have seemed. We are all in need of more power if we want to come out of this tournament alive."

"You've got a few days before the finals start. You'll be able to get stronger, won't you?"

Her eyes were shining in desperation and he couldn't bring himself to lie.

"The truth is there is only a slight chance of survival for every one of us. But even if only a small chance remains, then that means we also have the means and capabilities to grab it."

Botan nodded.

"You're absolutely right. You'll all be okay, you'll see."

"In any case, we shouldn't linger here any longer," he said, waving his hand dismissively and leading Botan away. "It's getting dark; we should head back to the hotel."

* * *

As Botan entered her hotel room, she immediately made a beeline for her bed and flopped down on it. Kurama was clearly unnerved by the two members of Team Toguro. She could only wonder what they had done or said to him to pull him out of his usual composure.

Hiei had been irritated as of late and she could only link that to the fact that he hasn't mastered the dragon yet. She knew it was a dangerous task, but if anyone could do it, he would. She just hoped that he wouldn't be so hard on himself.

And Kuwabara was upset over his losing streak. She felt horrible for the way Hiei treated him, but she hoped he would get out of his slump and come out victorious in the end. He was a strong contender and his emotions were linked to his power – if only he believed in himself more, he would be able to channel enough power to overwhelm even an opponent of Toguro's caliber.

She was the team-trainer and it was her duty to do something to brighten their moods. An idea occurred to her and she jumped up from her position. She could recreate the girl's night she implemented last night, only this time she would include the boys. But instead of doing hair and makeup they could play a few games in order to take their mind off of all that's been going on. Stressing out and becoming irritated would accomplish nothing, but taking their minds off of all the bloodshed, failure, and upcoming dangers was something that they all needed.

Botan grinned. She was a genius!

She knew for a fact that the boys were having a team-meeting in the other room. She could catch them at the end of it and implement her plan. It was perfect.

She walked over to the living area where Shizuru, Keiko, and Yukina were seated.

"What do you say we pay the boy's a visit?" Botan suggested, putting her kitty-face on.

"What are you up to now, Botan?"

"Oh nothing!" she said, waving Shizuru off dismissively. "I thought we could go get some drinks and snacks and just spend some time with them, that's all."

"Puu!" the spirit beast called out excitedly.

"I see someone else agrees with me, so what do you all say?"

"It sounds like a good idea," Keiko voiced.

The rest of the girls agreed and they went to procure drinks and snacks from the vending machines in the lobby. By the time they returned to their floor, the boys were finished with their meeting. Botan was glad to see that Hiei hadn't left yet and upon entering with gifts, Yusuke and Kuwabara were all the more welcoming. Everyone was gathered together in the lavish hotel room and spirits were high.

Botan looked over at everyone in the room with a grin. The sound of teenagers chatting filled the room and for once they forgot about the fact that they were fighting for their lives. Hiei was sitting on the windowsill, ignoring everyone else, but that would soon change. They were all in a good mood and it was now or never.

"Hey, since we're all together like this, why don't we play some games?" Botan offered cheerfully. "I brought a few from our room!"

Yusuke looked over to her and scoffed.

"We're a bit too old to play kiddy-games, Botan."

"Urameshi's right," Kuwabara agreed.

"That sounds like fun!" Keiko cheered, completely ignoring the two.

"I've never played games from the human world before," Yukina said reluctantly, although the excitement was evident in her voice.

Kurama contemplated for a moment before he broke into a smile.

"A game could provide a nice break from the more grave activities we have been participating in."

"I'm in," Shizuru said as she lit a cigarette.

"Yes, that's great! Now all that's left is…" Botan trailed off as she looked over at Hiei, who was sitting on the windowsill, staring out the window.

"I decline."

Botan pouted at his blunt refusal.

"But all the games I picked involve pairs…"

"That's okay, since I don't know much about human games, I can just watch," Yukina offered selflessly and Botan shook her head.

"That's out of the question; you were so excited just a moment ago!"

"Botan's right, my ice princess! If anyone will sit out, it will be me," Kuwabara chimed in. "I'll cheer for you on the sidelines, my love!"

"On the contrary, Kuwabara, Hiei will be joining us," Kurama cut in with a sly smile.

"Just because I engaged in that foolish game of janken doesn't mean I'm going to-"

"It wasn't a suggestion," Kurama interjected. "Or have you forgotten the price of your pride?"

Hiei's head snapped in Kurama's direction.

"What did you say, fox?"

"I believe this particular condition would fall under the category of repayment."

Botan looked on with the rest of the group, suddenly feeling very confused at the two demon's conversation.

"This is your idea of favor?" Hiei questioned incredulously as he narrowed his eyes in disdain. "I would rather cut my arm off."

"But this is so much easier, and a great deal less brutal."

"You should have just let that stupid Ichigaki robot kill me," Hiei muttered under his breath as he got off the windowsill and made his way over to the rest of the group with a scowl.

Botan looked at both Kurama and Hiei, before blinking and she clapping her hands together in delight.

"Well, I don't know what all of that was about, but now we can all play together!"

"Alright, strip poker, it is!" Yusuke bellowed as he picked up the cards from the table and began shuffling them with a grin on his face. "I hope you're not too good at this game, Keiko—ow!"

Shizuru shook her head as she watched Yusuke nurse his wounded cheek.

"Nice try, kid."

"What's strip poker?" Yukina asked innocently and Botan's eyes widened upon hearing the ice maiden's question.

"Don't you worry about it, my ice-princess. Urameshi was just being a pig," Kuwabara rushed in, glaring over at Yusuke.

"Psh. And you're just a prude," the detective shot back, flipping his friend off.

"That's it, you're dead Urameshi!"

Kuwabara grabbed Yusuke by the scruff of his shirt, but Botan intervened.

"Boys, please! Can't we have one night without you two jumping into a fist-fight?" Botan urged, realizing just how on edge they all were. She could only hope that her plan would lessen their stress and help them to relax a bit.

Kuwabara looked over at Botan and then to Yukina before releasing Yusuke.

"Fine. How are we picking the teams?" he questioned.

"Well, we could always just choose who we would like to be paired up with, or…" Botan paused before winking. "We could leave it up to luck!"

"Let the fates decide, huh?" Shizuru mused. "I kind of like how that sounds. Why don't we try that?"

The girls nodded in agreement and Botan beamed.

"Leave it to me!" she exclaimed excitedly, before running out of the room.

* * *

Hiei crossed his arms over his chest and waited impatiently for the woman to return. She had been gone for a while and he had half a mind to make his escape now and avoid this frivolous event. Before he could get a chance to implement his plan, she unfortunately returned with one hand behind her back.

"Well, get on with it before the suspense kills us all!" Yusuke said sarcastically, but Botan paid him no attention.

"Ta-da!" she exclaimed, showing everyone a tin with small scraps of paper inside. "They've got all of our names in there, just close your eyes and pick your partner!"

"And what if I pick myself?" Hiei asked hoping he would be able to simply sit there and not partake in this fruitless waste of time.

"Then you just pick again, silly!" Botan giggled and Hiei frowned. "Yukina, dear. Why don't you go first?"

Yukina nodded and pulled out a name, reading it before smiling.

"Botan."

"Oh, I was hoping we would be paired together!" Botan beamed, ignoring Kuwabara's obvious displeasure as she fished for Yukina's name and placed it aside. She reached in and pulled out another name, signaling for the next chooser to step forward.

"Yusuke, you're up!"

"Alright, let's hope I pick a good one," Yusuke said, moving to the front of the room and procuring a piece of paper.

"Nice! I got the smarter Kuwabara sibling!"

Yusuke high-fived the brunette after she made her way to his side and Kuwabara warned Yusuke to be careful, grumbling something about Shizuru getting violent when she lost. Botan went through the same process as before, pulling out Keiko's name this time.

There were only three options left, Hiei noted as he eyed Keiko critically.

The fox, the fool, and himself.

He could only hope that she would pick Kuwabara's name and he would sit back and let Kurama do all of the work for their 'team'.

Keiko unfolded the paper and looked up at the group, her gaze locking on to one person in particular.

"Kurama."

Hiei cursed, instantly realizing what that meant.

"No way!" Kuwabara whined in agony. "I do not want to be paired up with three-eyes!"

"For once I completely agree with the fool," Hiei added.

"I want to switch with Botan!" Kuwabara complained.

"Alright, then Kuwabara and I will be partners and Hiei and Yukina can team up!" she offered brightly as three pairs of eyes landed on her and she shrunk back nervously. Botan cringed at the murderous glare Hiei gave her. Kurama cast a warning glance in both her and Hiei's direction and Yusuke's eyes widened.

"No, that's not what I meant Botan," Kuwabara said, the strained tension in the room going completely unnoticed by the orange haired boy.

Hiei resisted the urge to growl as he clenched his fists. The woman was either very stupid or foolishly brave, either way she was still of limited intelligence. How she could even begin to suggest something as outrageous as him pairing up with Yukina was beyond him. He did not want his sister to become even the slightest bit affiliated with him and working together on a team was far too close for his liking.

"You are my partner," he said suddenly and without giving the ferry girl a chance to react or think things through properly, Hiei reached forward and grabbed her hand, pulling her to his side roughly.

The group's eyes were all on Hiei and he glared back at them defiantly.

"I refuse to participate in these activities if you all continue to stand there gaping like fools."

Realizing that they were staring, they composed themselves and looked in any direction but his and Hiei rolled his eyes.

It was only then that he realized Yukina would be paired up with Kuwabara and he looked over at the two as Kuwabara began a rant about how excited he was that they were a team. It was unfortunate, but he concluded it was better this way. It was only a game and Hiei could keep his eyes on the clown incase he tried to pull any unnecessary stunts.

The first game they played was 'Pictionary,' or something like it. Hiei had no clue why humans would waste time like this. There was nothing wrong with his vocal cords, so why did the game restrict him from saying outright what the word was? This was exactly why Hiei did not like humans; they always had roundabout ways of doing things. So far, he and Botan were failing horribly.

"What exactly is that supposed to be?" Botan groaned as Hiei shot an equally frustrated look back at her.

"It is a cat," Hiei answered flatly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Botan's eyebrows rose up in shock as she pointed to the picture.

"That looks nothing like a cat!"

"If you had half a brain, then perhaps you would have guessed correctly," he countered, irritation slowly sweeping over his features.

Yukina spoke up, feeling sorry for the losing pair.

"I think you did a fine job."

"Yes…" Keiko muttered, trying to salvage the situation. "If I squint really hard and tilt my head to the left, I think I can make out a paw."

"It just looks like one big scribble to me," Shizuru admitted.

"Hn."

He was a warrior, not an artist. He glanced at the picture and fought the urge to glare at them as he clenched the pencil in his hand, eventually snapping it in half. It didn't take a creature with high intellect to see that it was indeed a cat. Surely if he were paired with someone with an ounce of intelligence, like Kurama, they would have guessed correctly.

"How about we play a new one? I'm quite good at it!" Botan proposed as she picked up the next game and introduced the rules to everyone.

"Sure, I'm all for that. Besides, I don't think Hiei can take anymore of this game," Shizuru muttered, glancing over at the scowling demon.

"Yeah and while we're at it, why don't we raise the stakes?" Yusuke suggested, a corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk.

"Yusuke," Keiko began warningly, her lips drawing into a frown.

"Relax, I just meant the winners get to tell the losers what to do for the night!" he explained.

"Urameshi, I don't like that look on your face," Kuwabara muttered, noting the mischievous glint in the detective's eyes.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you're afraid of losing!" Yusuke taunted.

"Bring it punk, we'll definitely win the next game!" the orange-haired boy declared proudly. "The power of love always wins out!"

"We will try our best," Yukina promised.

Kurama looked over to Keiko and after she nodded he replied.

"We're in."

Hiei frowned, even if he lost, he sure as hell was not participating in _that_ part of the night, and there was no way in all the three worlds that anyone could force him to. If he lost, he would simply make the woman take the brunt of the penalty. If she accepted, she would have brought it on herself, he figured.

"Count us in as well!" Botan announced with a determined nod of her head. "We'll definitely win this time!"

"Alright now we're talking!" Yusuke grinned.

Botan went on to explain the rules of the game. From what Hiei made out this one was called 'Taboo'. It seemed simple enough; all you had to do was clue your partner in on the keyword, without saying the forbidden words listed on the cards. It was a waste of time, really. He would never be able to fathom why humans liked to complicate things with unnecessary rules and regulations.

They had to adjust some of the categories at first, because Yukina and Hiei were not familiar with human terms. For the first few rounds, Hiei had mindlessly uttered the taboo words. They just slipped out and he wasn't exactly making a conscious effort. He was only content with getting this night over with.

"Hiei…" Botan ground out, eventually. "You could at least try to follow the rules!"

Kuwabara and Yusuke's choked laughter stopped him from saying anything in response, and he turned to the two. If he had his sword at his side, he would have surely silenced them by now.

"What is so amusing?" Hiei asked.

"It's just… we can't believe you suck so bad! You've messed up every round!"

Kuwabara clutched his stomach.

"Urameshi, don't forget about his drawings! They looked like a kindergartener's!"

"More like a preschooler's!" Yusuke corrected as he laughed louder and Kuwabara nodded his head in agreement.

If Hiei had known what any of those terms meant he would have come up with a brilliant counter, but instead he settled for a murderous glare.

"We're losing horribly, and they aren't helping any…" Botan muttered. She let out a disappointed sigh, but quickly perked up and her eyes filled with resolve. "Okay! We have got to win this game and save our pride! We can't let the night end like this!"

Along with the fool's raucous laughter and Botan's pleading look, Hiei suddenly found himself motivated to win. He remembered how he failed to win in that foolish game of janken that they played earlier to determine who would battle Shishiwakamaru, but this time, he would be the victor. He would defeat those two at their own game and shut them up. Plus, he remembered them saying something about conditions depending on who won and lost, and if he won, the fates of those two were in his hands. He could even repay Kurama for his meddling.

But that wasn't all. While it was fun watching the woman grow increasingly more aggravated with every round, it quickly lost its appeal. He much rather preferred her when she was happy and the thought disgusted him. Winning the game was the only way of ensuring her happiness and putting in a little more effort was the only way of ensuring that. However, the prospect of winning and putting the others in their place was far more apparent in his mind and he pushed away all thoughts of wanting to please the ditsy ferry-girl from his head.

A few rounds later, the tides had turned. The once losing team had crawled its way to the top and Hiei made a complete one-eighty. One minute he wasn't even making an effort to open his mouth and then suddenly he was guessing correctly each time. That and when Hiei participated, Botan actually had a chance to answer questions in return, proving she was indeed, as good as she claimed. After some more rounds of serious ass-kicking, they ended their games.

"It's pretty obvious who the winners are…" Shizuru muttered.

"We did it!" Botan squealed, and without thinking, she threw herself onto Hiei, hugging him.

Hiei tensed considerably and after the initial shock, he unhooked her arms from around him.

"Sorry! I just got carried away!" she defended sheepishly before he could get a word out.

He looked at her indifferently, although a swirl of emotions had passed through him the moment she touched him.

"Don't ever do that again."

Botan nodded, a light blush spreading over her cheeks.

"Congratulations," Kurama offered. "You didn't want to play in the first place but you ended up being victorious."

Hiei cocked his head in the other direction and shoved his hands in his pockets, intent on not listening to what the fox had to say. It was his fault he was dragged into this mess in the first place.

"Yes, you did exceptionally well for someone who was new to the game," Yukina spoke up.

"What are you talking about, my sweet? You did even better!" Kuwabara complimented and Yukina smiled back at him.

"I had fun," she answered.

"We should do things like this more often!" Keiko suggested.

The girls made sounds of agreement while Hiei merely grunted in response. They were all mentally unstable if they thought he would join in on their activities once more. He had never played games before in his life and after today, he never planned on doing it again. It was a huge waste of time.

Yusuke looked at the imaginary watch on his wrist and scratched his head.

"Well would you look at that, it's just about time for me to get some much needed r&r."

Kuwabara caught on and grinned.

"Urameshi's right, we have to wake up early in the morning and prepare for the finals."

"I completely forgot! And as team-trainer, it's only fair I let you boys get your rest," Botan added as Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged pointed looks with each other. Kurama remained silent, reluctant to face the consequences of his loss.

"Wait," Yukina said slowly. "Wasn't there some sort of penalty for the losers?"

"And it's only eight o'clock," Keiko muttered deadpanned.

Hiei smirked at his sister's diligence; he was just about to call them on their bullshit, but she beat him to it. Botan gasped in realization and a playful grin broke out on her face.

"Damn, you two just had to ruin it!" Yusuke sighed while Kuwabara suddenly paled, fearing what the punishment would be. It was Botan and Hiei they were dealing with after all, the punishment would end up being something insanely girly or inhumanely cruel.

"Hm…" Botan put a finger to her chin in thought. "Whatever shall we have you do?"

Hiei's eyes took on a dangerous glint as he smirked, revenge was sweet.

"I have the perfect-"

"Ah!" Botan exclaimed, clapped her hands together with an impish grin. "I've got it!"

Hiei turned to her with one eyebrow raised.

"Oh thank god, Botan!" Yusuke breathed out. "I was afraid you'd leave the punishment to Hiei."

"The boys have to dress up in an outfit from their teammate's closet! Of course the girls can choose any outfit they want, but please remember, this is a penalty!" Botan exclaimed.

The girls, minus Yukina, busted out laughing. Yukina simply watched the boy's reaction with an amused expression.

The three boys turned to the ferry-girl darkly, each undoubtedly imagining themselves in women's clothing, before quickly shaking the thoughts out of their heads.

"No way, Botan!" Yusuke shouted in rage. "No way in hell am I putting on anything that was made for girls."

Kuwabara just remained silent, too horrified to form any coherent thoughts.

"Perhaps this is a bit too extreme…" Kurama began hesitantly. He knew very well that he looked more feminine than most males, but that didn't mean that he had to dress like it.

Botan pouted.

"That's not fair! We all had an agreement; the winners get to decide the punishment for the losers! You can't go back on it now!"

"Well, I'm takin' it back!" Yusuke countered childishly.

"No," Hiei began with a smirk. "The woman is right. You lose, you pay the consequences. Do as she says."

Kurama sighed.

"I suppose if I dragged you into this game, it would not be fair of me to try and weasel out of the penalty now."

"Yeah, well I didn't drag Hiei into anything, so I refuse," Yusuke crossed his arms and stuck his nose up in the air.

"Yusuke…" Keiko began with a sickeningly sweet voice. He turned to her and the deathly serious expression on her face made him flinch, he briefly wondered if she was part demon as she began to smile at him. "You can't refuse."

"Okay, damn it! Let's just get this over with!" Yusuke replied cockily, trying to hide the anxiety in his voice.

Kuwabara snapped his fingers.

"I can't fit into Yukina's clothes! I guess I'll just have to sit this one out," he said slyly.

"Oh don't worry about it, bro. You can borrow some of my clothes; it'll be just like old times," Shizuru said with a grin and Kuwabara's eyes widened in horror.

Upon hearing this Hiei turned to Kuwabara.

"I should have known a fool like you would have experience in this sort perversion."

"Hey!" Kuwabara shouted. "It's not my fault, I was young and she made me do it!"

"It doesn't excuse the fact that you liked it," Shizuru answered smoothly.

"I didn't like it!" he whined as he looked to Yukina. "Don't listen to a word they say, baby. It's all a pack of lies." His voice became a few octaves lower and more refined. At this Hiei twitched and resisted the urge to slice off his head. If he did that, the oaf would be free of his punishment.

Yukina merely nodded in response, unsure of what to say.

"Well girls, it's time to chose an outfit!" Botan reminded with a smile. They all went back to the girl's room, except for the ferry-girl and the fire-demon.

When they were all alone, Botan turned to Hiei in confusion.

"Not that I'm not thrilled that we won and all… but what exactly happened? One minute we were losing and then the next we came out on top!"

"Isn't it obvious?" Hiei muttered.

She shook her head.

"I used the jagan eye."

Botan made a gurgled noise of astonishment and pointed at Hiei incredulously.

"You what?"

He nearly flinched at the sound of her shrieking before answering.

"You heard what I said."

"But… that's cheating!" she responded with wide eyes. "I thought we won fair and square!"

"Would you have rather gone on losing? Those bastards deserve what they get after mocking me and forcing me to partake in these foolish human rituals."

Botan sighed and looked at Hiei hesitantly.

"But still…"

"If we lost, our roles would be reversed. Is that what you want?" Hiei questioned.

Her eyes widened upon hearing this and suddenly she found herself appreciating Hiei for his underhanded tactics.

"You're absolutely right! Good job, partner!"

"Hn," Hiei grunted, crossing his arms.

A few moments later the girls re-entered the room. The boys were changing and they were itching with anticipation, wondering how ridiculous they would look in their new outfits. If Hiei was excited, he certainly didn't show it.

The first to walk in was Kuwabara. Shizuru had chosen to give him one of her most girly outfits—which wasn't all that girly to begin with, but it was better than nothing. His head hung low and muttered something about 'older sisters,' and their 'sadistic tendencies.' The younger Kuwabara sibling was wearing pants that fit too tightly and went up to his calves. He had a white ruffled shirt on and a pink vest over it.

Next, Yusuke walked in. Since Shizuru had chosen Kuwabara's outfit, Yukina was designated to choose an outfit for Yusuke. All she had were kimonos at the time, so Yusuke walked in donning a lavender kimono similar to Yukina's traditional one. Being that Yukina was much shorter than him, the kimono reached up to his knees. He let out a curse as he stepped into the room in small strides, his movement limited by the kimono.

Lastly, Kurama entered. Keiko felt bad for him, seeing as he was the most mature and respectful out of the three boys, so she decided to abstain from giving him a skirt or dress. Instead she chose a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with a hearts on it. The shirt rode up revealing his stomach, no matter how desperately he tried to pull it down, and the pants rode up to right under his knees.

They all stared at the boys and tried to restrain their giggles. None of them wanted to be the first to laugh, but it was becoming impossible to keep their mirth contained.

"It's a good look," Hiei said monotonously, breaking the silence, and with that, all the girls began to laugh without reservation.

"Maybe we should have done something to their hair, too!" Keiko said in between giggles.

"Yeah, and some make-up would have completed the whole ensemble," Shizuru remarked.

Yusuke growled lowly.

"Next time, I'll be the winner and you guys will have to run across the whole island naked!"

His threats were empty and the as the girls continued their teasing, Hiei relished in every bit of his teammate's embarrassment.

Suddenly, the door burst open and Koenma entered the room. They all stared at him with mixed looks of horror, shock, and surprise. Koenma stared back at the three boys and his mouth twitched. Soon enough he began laughing raucously, all the while keeping his Mafukan secured in his mouth, and pointing at the three of them. He clutched his stomach and his uncontrollable fits of laughter became contagious as soon the whole room, sans the three boys in drag and Hiei, began laughing again.

"Botan… you've got to get me copies of those pictures!" Koenma chuckled.

"Pictures?" Kurama echoed, turning to face the ferry-girl. She had a camera in her hand and had taken pictures of them in their most embarrassing moments.

Yusuke stomped over to her and she hid the camera behind her back innocently.

"Whatever are you talking about, Koenma sir? There's no camera here!"

"Give it here, Botan!" Yusuke ordered as she shook her head adamantly. Kuwabara ran around her in hopes of grabbing it before she noticed, but Hiei had already taken care of that.

"Looking for something, fool?" he mocked with a malevolent smirk as he displayed the procured item.

Both boys looked to find Hiei holding the small camera in his hands and groaned.

"Good one, Hiei!" Koenma cheered from the sidelines.

"Yeah!" Botan cheered.

"Figures, when we really need him he's never around but when it comes to torturing others he's always there to lend a helping hand," Kuwabara huffed, crossing his arms and then unhooking them to pull down the shirt that kept riding up.

"You guys can't hide that camera forever, and the moment you let your guard down, it's mine!" Yusuke shook his fist. "Come on guys let's change out of this mess!"

He looked around the room to find Kurama and Kuwabara had already made their way back to their compartments to change.

"You could've at least waited for me!" he yelled as he ran to the door in small, but hurried steps, as he tried his best not to lose balance and topple over.

"Well that was a productive night," Keiko muttered with a satisfied smile.

Yukina nodded.

"I had fun."

Shizuru sat down on the couch, flicking through the channels on the television.

"Yeah and that punishment was pure genius, Botan."

Botan smiled giddily.

"Yes, we simply must do this again!"

"Count me out," Hiei grunted as he turned from them.

"Well… I guess I wouldn't expect you to play again, but you have to admit it was a lot of fun."

"Fun?" Hiei echoed, the disdain dripping from his tone.

"Yes, it was fun!" Botan repeated.

"You two make a good team," Keiko insisted and Hiei looked at her as if she were crazy. "Honestly, I didn't think you would work together so well, but in the end you guys were the ones who won."

"You're right, Keiko!" Botan exclaimed, turning to Hiei with a small smile. "We did make a good team! Come on, admit it, you had fun!"

Hiei crossed his arms indignantly.

"I would rather go up against Toguro than spend the night with you all playing frivolous games."

At this the girls rolled their eyes, but Yukina was more persistent.

"I'm glad."

They all turned their attention to her as she continued.

"I'm glad you joined in," she looked at him hesitantly. "Usually you're off by yourself or isolated in a corner of the room, but tonight you actually participated in these human games with us. It was nice to see everyone together."

"Yeah, you're right. It was heartwarming to see them acting more like normal teenagers rather than fighters," Shizuru interjected with an unusually soft look in her eyes.

"And seeing them dressed up like that was an added bonus," Keiko giggled.

Hiei just looked at his sister, seemingly ignoring what the others said. She was right. Why he was even wasting his time on this frivolous nonsense was beyond him. Somewhere between kicking the detective's ass at his own human game and having Botan cheer him on, he actually found himself slightly enjoying this. It wasn't the same sort of thrill he got when he was fighting or anything, it was just something new that he didn't find entirely repulsive. The longer he stayed here with them, the more he succumbed to their stupidity and customs. He would definitely become soft at this rate.

"I imagine even a warrior like my brother would appreciate a break from fighting now and then," Yukina finished softly with a wistful look in her ruby eyes.

Hiei remained silent, turning away from his sister.

Botan, who was watching the whole exchange, pouted when she saw his conflicted face but as she saw the boys walk out in their normal outfits her face lit up. She clapped her hands together, causing them all to look at her.

"Well, as team trainer, I hereby dub this game-night a success!"

"You mean you actually had a reason behind all of this?" Keiko asked incredulously.

"Of course I did! It was all to boost team morale!"

"Wonderful idea, Botan! As team-owner I approve of tonight's…" Koenma chuckled before continuing, thinking back to how absurd the trio looked in their previous get-ups. "…abnormal events."

"And how the hell does dressing me up as a chick fit into the equation?" Yusuke asked bitterly.

"It was all for the sake of good fun!" Botan defended. "Lately everyone has been so serious and on edge, we all just need to lighten up! I have complete confidence in all of you."

Kurama smiled solemnly.

"I agree."

"Yeah let's kick some demon ass in the finals!" Yusuke exclaimed with a shout.

"Try to actually win a match this time baby bro," Shizuru drawled with an air of indifference.

So that's what this was about; boosting team morale. One swift glance around the room and he figured it actually worked. Who knew the woman could accomplish something she had set her mind to. And all this time he thought she was just a babbling idiot.

But enough of that; just because they were all giddy with excitement didn't mean they would necessarily win. It would take a lot more than happiness and good-will to survive the final round. The next few days would consist of grueling training and preparation and he had to make sure that he was ready for facing against their final opponents.

"We should leave you boys to get your rest," Botan said as she waved a finger in the air much like a mother talking to a child. "You've got lots that you need to do, right?"

The rest of the girls agreed and they began cleaning up the mess they made and gathering the games. Kuwabara jumped up to walk Yukina to the door, even though it was just a few feet away, while Kurama sat down on the couch with Koenma, making small talk about the finals. Yusuke turned on the television and Botan scolded him; urging him to get his rest. After realizing he probably wouldn't listen to her she said her goodbyes to Koenma; inquiring something or other about the whereabouts of the blue ogre.

Hiei watched her intently as she picked up one of the games and prepared to walk away. The things Hiro had said to him today left him wondering. The child was right about the way that Botan always ended up being alone and Hiei berated himself for not recognizing it sooner. Just as she was about to reach the door, Hiei called out to her.

"Woman."

In a flash he was at her side pulling her into the chambers where his bed was and slamming the door shut.

"Am I missing something here?" Yusuke asked, the television long forgotten as he stared at the door in wonder.

* * *

"Hiei is something the matter?" Botan asked concernedly. She hadn't the slightest clue as to why he had dragged her into his room so abruptly. Perhaps he was still angry over the fact that he was forced to participate in the game-night.

"I won't be able to watch over Yukina considering the final match is upon us in a few days and I have yet to master the dragon, so I'm entrusting her to you. Don't let her anywhere near the Toguro brothers."

Realization swept over Botan's features as she remembered the Toguro brothers were the bodyguards of Tarukane; the very human who exploited Yukina's abilities and forced her to produce hiruiseki. And the fact that Hiei trusted her with someone as important to him as his sister made her heart swell.

"Leave it to me, Hiei. Your sister is in perfectly capable hands."

"And you," he began with a frown. "Stop wandering off on your own."

She nodded.

"Right, I won't go anywhere without Yukina by my side."

"Don't explore unfamiliar territories," he continued.

"Of course I won't lead her to a place I know nothing about!"

"Stay alert."

"Right!" she echoed, saluting him. "I won't let Yukina out of my sight, I'll stay alert."

"Would you just shut up and listen? I'm not talking about Yukina anymore!" Hiei bit out harshly and she jumped, not expecting him to get so loud all of a sudden. He didn't mean to be so harsh; his irritation was growing over the fact that he even felt the need to caution her in the first place.

"What?" Botan breathed out quietly.

"I'm talking about you," Hiei revealed, his gaze intense as it rested upon hers. "Be more cautious and stop trusting everyone so easily."

Botan's gaze softened and she stared appreciatively.

"Don't give me that look," he warned. "I'm only saying this because I'm tired of saving you. Don't put yourself in a position where you will need to be rescued."

Botan nodded slowly, the small smile that had been on her face steadily growing into a full-blown grin.

"I'll be more careful from now on, I promise!"

"That's all," Hiei finished as he crossed his arms.

"Well, goodnight then!"

She skipped out of the room and the others began to watch as she hummed to herself happily. She then proceeded to exit the room, not noticing all their eyes were upon her. This whole time Hiei was concerned with her. He had pulled her aside just to tell her to be careful. Although he might not feel the same way as her, he still felt _something_. This was enough for now, she concluded. She was happy with the way things were and she hoped that her heart wouldn't get too greedy and want more.

* * *

Hiei looked down at his hands and noticed that he was still holding onto the woman's camera. He set it on his night stand after deciding that he would hold on to it for now, if only to avoid getting captured in anymore of her outlandish pictures. Perhaps he could get the fox to delete all of the ones concerning him, as well. As he rejoined the rest of the team outside, he noticed all of their attention was on him.

"Why is Botan in such a good mood?" Kuwabara muttered in confusion as he looked to Hiei for an answer.

"Yeah," Yusuke began with a perverted grin. "What did you two just do?"

"What goes on between the woman and I is none of your business," he replied haughtily. Although his words were intended to end this particular subject, they only led Yusuke and Kuwabara to become more suspicious than before.

"Shit! You really did do something in there!" Yusuke exclaimed with wide eyes and Kuwabara made a disgusted face. Hiei just rolled his eyes and Yusuke then looked to Kurama for help. "Kurama, do something!"

"I'm sure you're just overreacting, but even if something did happen, it isn't our business," the redhead answered calmly.

"The hell it is! When Hiei's doing stuff with my assistant, it becomes my business," Yusuke countered as he shot up from the couch. "I told you all that I caught them in the forest before and none of you believed me!"

"Relax," Koenma urged. "This is Hiei and my bubbly, happy, innocent ferry girl you're referring to. Do you honestly believe something could happen between them? They're as different as night and day!"

At this Hiei shot a glare in Koenma's direction before vanishing from their sight. Kurama watched the whole encounter with an amused expression while Kuwabara watched on in confusion. Yusuke just smirked and looked down at the seated prince haughtily.

Koenma gulped nervously.

"Well, now I don't know what to think."

Hiei was pissed. Who the hell did that toddler think he was? Just because he was constantly took on the form of an adult did not mean that the child had any coherent thoughts.

'_Do you honestly believe something could happen between them? They're as different as night and day!'_

Hiei scoffed at what the prince had implied.

If he truly wanted her, he could have had her the moment he set his sights on her. It wasn't that absurd to think he could want Botan. She had her intuitive moments, a pretty face that was, unfortunately for him, unforgettable, and a rather decent-looking body.

Hiei train of thought was interrupted when Koenma's words came to mind once more.

'_This is Hiei and my bubbly, happy, innocent, ferry-girl you're referring to.'_

Koenma wasn't saying that _he_ would never fall for Botan; he was implying Botan would never fall for _him_.

And the statement wasn't entirely false. What could she see in him? He wasn't a nice guy; actually he was the farthest thing away from the 'nice,' while she was too nice for her own good. There really was no reason for her to want him.

But even so, he reminded himself of the image of her elated face a few moments ago. She was happy when he showed concern over her, no matter how small the amount. She had a penchant for hanging around him, despite the way he usually brushed her off. And she was always touched by any and every small thing that he had done for her. She had clearly gotten more comfortable with him over the course of this tournament, but did that mean she had feelings for him, too?

'…_Too?'_

"Shit!" Hiei groaned into his palm after slapping it to his face. Why couldn't he see it before, the answer was so obvious. He had developed some sort of sick attraction to her. That's why she was always in his thoughts; that's why his chest restricted every time she was around; that's why he found himself needing to be nearer to her. All of the strange feelings he had been experienced were linked back to her and she was both the cause and the cure.

All this time the answer was right in his face, yet he had been too oblivious to take notice.

Hiei didn't know how to love or what it felt like to experience it, but he was pretty damn sure that this was the closest he would ever get to that abstract concept and the fact that these feelings were stirring within him now, of all times, and with Botan of all women, was even more unnerving.

How and when these feelings began to take root was a mystery to him, but now that he knew that he was attracted to her, he would do everything in his power to erase these feelings. Such weak and pitiful sentiments were unbecoming of him. He was a warrior and he'd be damned if he let himself fall in love, and with a ferry-girl no less.

Although he had a feeling that things would never be the same again, he wished that they would, and more than anyone else he longed to return to a time when she meant nothing to him.

* * *

So, this is actually one of the original scenes that I worked on way before I even published this story! I always had the idea that this is how Hiei would figure out his feelings and I'm sticking with it! Haha.

This chapter came at an ironic time, considering some of you guys were down. Much like Botan's attempts to cheer the others up with her game-night, I hope this chapter brightened your spirits.

In the next chapter, things will take a turn for the worst, and I'm sure you all know what event will take place! I hope you all look forward to it.

And last but not least, thanks for the wonderful reviews. Please keep 'em coming!


	12. Chapter 12

More Than Anyone Else

"Talking"

'_Thoughts'_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

A/N: It's been a while! Let's get straight to it, shall we?

Chapter 12

* * *

Kuwabara scratched his head in wonder as he stared at the spot where Hiei previously stood.

"Do you think there's really something going on between the two of them?" he questioned.

Koenma and Kurama remained silent as Yusuke sat back down on the couch, crossing his arms and nodding, as if he had known all along.

"I tried to tell you guys that something just wasn't right about the two of them, but no one wanted to hear it," the detective stated condescendingly. "They don't call me a detective for nothin', you know."

"Nobody listened to you because you were being perverted, like always, Urameshi," Kuwabara interjected. "Besides, you weren't the only one who noticed. Kurama picked up on it, too, and he probably realized it way before you did."

"Yeah, well it's in his nature," Yusuke mused, sending Kurama a mischievous grin. "Foxes are always sniffing their noses where they shouldn't be."

"But you know," Kuwabara began. "It sure is weird that those two would have anything to do with each other."

"Yukina puts up with you, so why wouldn't Hiei be able to do the same with Botan? Must be in the genes or something," Yusuke muttered under his breath.

"What was that Urameshi?" Kuwabara questioned, raising a brow.

"He was merely making another one of his famous off-handed comments, think nothing of it," Kurama interposed, sending Yusuke a pointed look.

Yusuke shrugged it off as he leaned back into the couch with his arms crossed over his head. He couldn't say he was happy to be the laughing stock of the fifth floor in his girly get-up, but he was at ease. For the first time since he came to this damn island, he was relaxed.

It seemed as though he had been tossed into an unending series of problems and issues that he, and the rest of the team, had to overcome. From Hiei's injuries to "the masked fighter" always on his case, to Toguro's intimidation tactics and the Tournament Committee's shitty rules – Yusuke was always on alert. Even if he acted as though nothing fazed him, even if he acted like he didn't give a damn, it _did_and he _did_.

Somehow everyone had made it through to the finals in one piece. There were a few close calls, but they all pulled through. There was only one more hurdle to cross and it would all be over.

And now, he had the power to defeat Toguro and overcome that last obstacle - thanks to Genkai.

The thought of his teacher stirred something within Yusuke and the sense of tranquility that he had been feeling suddenly began to waver.

"Hey, have any of you run into Genkai? I haven't seen the old bat since I completed her final test," Yusuke mentioned, sitting up from his relaxed position.

"I haven't seen her since the semi-finals," Kuwabara revealed.

"Neither have I," Kurama responded.

Yusuke looked over at Koenma questioningly.

"Well, what about you Pacifier Breath?"

"I'm sorry, Yusuke," Koenma said calmly, choosing to uncharacteristically ignore Yusuke's taunting as he pursed his lips together. The Prince tore his gaze away from the detective and rested it on the coffee table in front of him instead, his head bowed slightly. "I don't know where she could be."

"That's weird," the spirit detective mumbled to himself. "I'm gonna go look for her."

"I'll help you look for her too," Kuwabara insisted, but Yusuke waved a hand at him dismissively as he stood up and headed for the door.

"Don't worry about it. I can find her even without your spiritual awareness," Yusuke joked.

The spirit detective left and the room was enveloped in a thick silence. Kurama looked over at Koenma, who seemed to be on the verge of saying something. The moment Yusuke had brought up the topic of Genkai, Koenma's actions started becoming suspicious. It went unnoticed by Yusuke and Kuwabara, but Kurama could see it all too clearly. There was something that was bothering the Prince, something that he did not want the others to know. Soon enough, Koenma stood up, deciding to take his leave.

"Well, I should probably call it a night," he paused and turned to Kuwabara. "You both should try and get some rest before the sun comes up."

"Alright," Kuwabara relented. "If you say so."

"Goodnight," Koenma said curtly.

Kurama watched as the Prince departed through narrowed and cautious eyes. Something was amiss indeed if even the Ruler of Spirit World was on edge.

* * *

"Wasn't that fun?" Keiko giggled. "I've never seen Yusuke look so embarrassed. I think he was even blushing a bit."

"I've got to admit, that punishment was pure genius, Botan," Shizuru said with a smirk.

"Why thank you," the ferry-girl graciously accepted.

Botan sat down on the plush couch, remembering the events that took place. The night was a success, spirits were high, and Hiei had even worried about her, so she should have felt good.

Satisfied.

Happy, even.

But she wasn't.

There was something keeping her from being completely happy. Something at the edge of her senses, right out of her reach. Something she couldn't quite explain. It was such a familiar feeling, yet why did it feel so foreign? Why couldn't she place it?

"Botan, is something the matter?" Yukina asked.

"I'm fine, I think…" she trailed off, her eyes unfocused as she searched within herself to figure out what it was that was making her feel so anxious.

Suddenly she felt a sense of dread wash over her. It was cold and empty as it ran through her entire being, sweeping through her body and sinking deep within her bones. It was a feeling she was all too familiar with.

Death.

Her eyes widened as an image of Genkai popped into her mind. She was standing proud, her features touched with weary, but still as strong as ever. The image faded quickly and Botan shook her head.

The ferry-girl shot up from the couch suddenly, causing the rest of the girls to look over at her. Her face was drained of all color and her eyes were wide with fear.

"Botan, what's wrong?" Keiko asked, as she stood up and walked over to the distraught ferry-girl.

Shizuru looked over at the scene, but remained silent.

"No… no it can't be!" Botan whimpered, before running out of the room altogether.

"Botan, wait!" Keiko called out, but Shizuru put a hand on Keiko's shoulder and shook her head.

"Something tells me that we shouldn't get involved in this," she advised in a calm yet authoritative tone.

"Are you sure, Shizuru?" Yukina piped in, her ruby eyes fraught with worry.

"I'm sure," Shizuru answered back, her gaze lingering on the doorway as the sound of Botan's footsteps became lighter and lighter.

* * *

Hiei had just returned from the forest completely and thoroughly disturbed by the thoughts weighing heavily on his mind. He blamed it all on Spirit World. If he hadn't been forced into participating in this stupid tournament, then he wouldn't have been subjected to Hanging Neck Island and its strange effects on its inhabitants. The island did crazy things to people; made them act in ways they shouldn't. Hell, he had witnessed a ferry-girl befriending a demon child, demons engaging in the foolish human ritual of chewing gum, men dressed as women, and now he even thought he had feelings for the ferry-girl.

As he entered the room, he was surprised to see Kurama still awake.

"Going somewhere fox?" Hiei asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the door frame.

"Just for a drink," Kurama replied. "But it can wait."

Hiei remained silent, unwilling to take the bait.

"Isn't there something you would like to tell me first?" Kurama pressed.

"Don't patronize me, Kurama," Hiei scoffed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You pride yourself in knowing everything; I'm sure you figured it out already."

"So you've come to terms with your own emotions for Botan, have you?"

Hiei glared at him.

"As usual, I don't like the way you make it sound."

"It's the truth, though, isn't it?" Kurama insisted, his calculating gaze resting on Hiei.

The fire-demon avoided his teammate's gaze, instead settling for glaring at the wall as he nodded begrudgingly.

Kurama smiled, obviously amused at the whole situation.

"You should stop brooding; at this rate you'll glare a whole into the wall. What you're experiencing is nothing out of the ordinary."

"Do you not know me at all? There must be something wrong with me," Hiei asserted. "Hurry up and diagnose me; perhaps you can produce a cure with one of your plants."

Kurama only chuckled in response, further increasing Hiei's agitated state.

"Do my problems humor you, fox?"

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with liking someone, Hiei. It's completely normal."

"Not for me it isn't," Hiei opposed.

"I know it may seem natural for you to stave off these feelings, but I assure you, the more you try to ignore or contain it, the more detrimental it will become."

"Speaking from experience?" Hiei questioned, wondering if the fox had somehow gone through the same turmoil as him. How he wished he could have been there to see it.

"No," Kurama replied, shattering all of Hiei's previous thoughts. "I've simply observed what it does to others."

"It figures," Hiei griped with a sigh.

Kurama remained silent, his calm gaze fixed on the fire-demon in front of him.

"Well then what can I do about it?" Hiei questioned, although it sounded more like a command for Kurama to provide him with the answers that he sought out.

"Don't push her away and don't be hasty," Kurama instructed. "Instead, just let it run its course."

"In other words, you're telling me to do nothing?"

Kurama nodded.

"In a sense."

"I should have known you would be no help."

"Honestly, Hiei. What exactly did you expect from coming here?"

He truly didn't know what he expected from the Kurama. Hell, he didn't know what to expect from himself upon accepting these newfound… feelings.

"I _expected_ to receive some sound advice. I'm sure even Kuwabara could have given me something more decisive than that," Hiei retorted.

Kurama just nodded knowingly.

"No matter what I tell you, you'll always end up doing whatever you please. As your friend, I'm asking you not to be cautious. Don't be quick to severe ties with Botan, nor should you try and jump into anything that would end up hurting you both. Just continue as you have been."

"Forget it," Hiei decided finally, completely fed up as he stalked over to the door. "I'm going to train."

* * *

Kurama smiled to himself as he replayed the conversation between himself and Hiei mere moments ago. He had to admit, he hadn't expected that the fire-demon would figure out his own feelings so quickly, and the fact that Hiei even came to him for help suggested that the demon was treading cautiously.

Kurama could only hope that Hiei would heed his warnings and take things slow, rather than rush to break things off.

His footsteps were the only sounds he heard as they echoed in the hallway; the empty silence a huge contrast to the time he had spent with others earlier. He was feeling restless and decided he needed a drink to settle his nerves. The vending machine was on the first floor, near the entrance of the hotel and as he made his way through the darkness, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being followed; watched by a dark presence.

He turned the corner and if he wasn't on edge, he might have collided into the two beings before him.

"Is there something either of you need?" Kurama asked calmly, his gaze passing over Bui and then settling on Karasu. There was something about Karasu that put the former bandit on guard; he was dangerous and Kurama had a feeling that he was being targeted by the mysterious demon.

"I was feeling a bit restless and decided to see how the competition was faring," Karasu revealed.

"I'm fine, although you should be more concerned about your own well-being. Rather than wasting time here, shouldn't you be preparing for the finals?"

"Preparing for the finals?" Karasu echoed before laughing. "There is nothing for me to worry about. The finals will come and the four of you will die."

Kurama's eyes widened.

"Just four?"

"Yes, of course," Karasu said, sparing Kurama a cold glance. "One of you dies tonight."

Bui suddenly punched the wall, making a small indent and catching Kurama's attention. By the time he looked back to Karasu's spot, he was surprised to find it empty and the demon had completely vanished from his senses. Kurama tensed when he noticed the presence behind him, and snarled when Karasu ran his hands through Kurama's hair.

"Your hair is a bit damaged, Kurama. Human bodies are so frail," he scoffed before lowering his voice. "I know you fear what my touch can do to you, and yet, maybe you also want to know it."

"Get away!" Kurama snarled, turning around and swiping at the other demon.

"No need to get worked up. As a fighter, I like you best. And when I like something, I like to take it away."

Kurama's eyes narrowed as he watched them walk away, his fists clenching as a sense of futility washed over him.

"I cannot win this way…"

"Is something wrong Kurama?" Kuwabara's voice broke in through the silence, and soon enough the psychic came into view.

"What are you doing here?"

"I felt crazy energy signals coming from down here, but now they're completely gone. It was those guys from Team Toguro wasn't it?"

Kurama looked over at Kuwabara and nodded.

"There's nothing to worry about, they only came to talk. You should go back to bed."

"I've been trying to get some sleep for a while now, but something just doesn't feel right," the orange-haired teen revealed. "I can't explain it, but my gut instinct is telling me that something really bad is about to go down."

"You're probably just nervous about the finals. Get something to drink and get your rest. You'll need it for these upcoming days."

Kuwabara looked over at Kurama uncertainly, his mouth opening to say something, but he suddenly closed it and walked over to the vending machine.

He shuffled through his pockets, before turning to Kurama sheepishly.

"You got any spare change?"

Kurama smiled and handed Kuwabara a few coins.

"I know you all think you have to protect me or whatever since I'm new to all of this demon stuff and technically I'm not a spirit detective, but you can tell me what's going on. You don't have to shelter me all the time. Even when you try and hide something from me, chances are my spiritual awareness will clue me in. Anyway, what I'm trying to say it: I'm just as much of a part of this team as all of you are and I can handle whatever it is that's going on."

"Kuwabara…"

He didn't look over at Kurama, instead he put the money through the slot and made his selection.

"Even though I can't stand the shrimp, Hiei gave it to me straight earlier today. He was honest and straightforward, and I appreciated it," Kuwabara revealed. "I can see you're shaken up. You're white as a ghost and your hands were cold and shaking when you handed me the coins. We're a team, I just wish you and Urameshi would understand that."

Kuwabara procured his drink and walked towards the elevators, leaving Kurama alone. The ex-bandit let out a sigh as soon as Kuwabara was out of sight. He did not believe in sheltering Kuwabara at all, but something about Karasu's words felt all too real. The danger was palpable and if too many people got involved and got worked up, then something drastic would end up happening.

"_One of you dies tonight…"_

Kurama frowned as Karasu's prediction ran through his mind. Perhaps the demon was just trying to get under his skin and his threat was empty. Perhaps he was telling the truth. Either way, Kurama knew he wouldn't be getting any rest tonight. Yusuke and Hiei were both gone and potentially in danger; he had to find them and make sure that Karasu's forecast wouldn't come true.

* * *

Wasting no time, Yusuke left the room and exited the hotel. It looked like a storm was brewing and he could sense something else in the air. It didn't feel right. He could have sworn he felt Genkai's energy and what's worse; he could feel Toguro's massive power as well. That feeling he had been experiencing all night – that peace and calm – was instantly swallowed up by a looming sense of distress.

As he walked further into the forest, Genkai's strength seemed to waver and for a moment, he thought he was going in the wrong direction. But Toguro's power felt closer and closer - and that's what worried him the most.

His pace increased and he raced to the source of the energy. He was close enough to see it now, illuminating the area around him. He saw two unmistakable figures in the distance, his teacher and his enemy.

Genkai's body was on the ground and Toguro was standing over her.

A cold chill washed over him as Yusuke rushed over to the area, propping his mentor's head up on his lap.

"Genkai, you're alright, I'm here now," Yusuke soothed. "You're going to be alright, trust me."

He shook her but she didn't respond.

"C'mon Grandma… wake up."

"Don't waste your breath. You and I both know she's gone."

"Shut up," Yusuke gritted.

"That anger could prove quite useful in the finals. You should hold onto it if you hope to claim victory."

"I said the hell shut up!" he roared, standing up and glaring at the man before him.

In a flash Yusuke was in front of Toguro, engaged in a flurry of punches and kicks. Toguro knocked him aside easily, but Yusuke was quick to return to his feet and charge at the man again.

With more force than necessary, Toguro punched Yusuke square in the chest, leaving the detective wheezing and gasping for air on the ground.

"Stay down, if you get back up I can't guarantee you won't end up like your mentor," Toguro ordered in a dangerously low voice. "You can hate me all you want, but hate isn't enough. Meet me in the ring and avenge her there."

Toguro walked away and Yusuke cursed as he dragged himself over to Genkai's lifeless body. His gaze rested on her form sadly. She looked so small, so weak.

Why wasn't he there in time? He punched a fist in the ground, as his vision got bleary. Why couldn't he save her?

* * *

Botan ran down the hallway, only to barrel into another person. The stranger clutched her shoulders, preventing her from going any further.

"Botan stop."

She recognized the calm voice instantly and looked up.

"Koenma, it's Genkai! She's…"

"I know," he said with a hint of weariness as he led Botan down the hallway. "We should go."

Botan realized that they were going further away from the boy's room and came to a halt, causing Koenma to stop in his tracks.

"Don't you understand? Genkai could be dying right now; we need to get some help! We have to do something!"

"No, Botan. We don't," he replied, his tone hushed and urgent. "It's your job to guide the souls back to spirit world, not to prevent the body from dying."

"But this is Genkai!" she yelled. "How can you be so apathetic?"

"I've had time to come to terms with her death and accept it."

"You knew?"

"She and I both knew that she would die if she came to this island. It was Toguro's intention to kill her all along."

Botan gasped.

"I'm sorry that you had to find out like this, but we must remain professional. For Yusuke's sake."

"I-I'm not sure if I can…"

"You can and you will. I need you to keep it together," he ordered. "You know better than anyone that death is just a part of the natural order."

"I understand, sir, but that doesn't make it any easier."

"I know, Botan. I know."

Although he was the picture of professionalism, Botan picked up the sullen note in his tone. He was hurting just as she was, except he had no choice but to keep his duties as Prince of Spirit World a priority above all else – even his own emotions. Sure, death was a big part in everything they did; it was just another routine task that they had to take care of. It was rare that they made contact with anyone in the world of the living and they had never been put in the position where they had to take a soul that they formed such a close connection with. The others were just names and faces, this was a woman who they had grown to respect and admire.

"Let's go," he said, motioning for her to follow him.

Botan's steps were heavy and slowed, fearing what she would see when she and Koenma finally reached their destination. They exited the hotel and the cool air of the night made her shiver. It was too quiet and calm. Though she couldn't see much else but the trees and shrubbery, she could feel that there was danger in the air. The atmosphere was thick with a heaviness that she could only classify as death. She didn't know how she would bring herself to ferry Genkai's soul. It would be the hardest thing she's ever had to do. Suddenly an unsettling thought occurred to her.

"This is why you were so insistent about repairing my oar, isn't it?" Botan asked suddenly. "You knew this would happen and you needed me to bring Genkai's soul to the Spirit World."

"That's correct," Koenma answered, glancing back at her. "I couldn't tell you back then because I knew how hard you would take it. The thought would have eaten away at you and you would have done something foolish and drastic."

She didn't say anything else as they entered the heart of the forest. She didn't need to. She knew he was right. If she had known that Genkai would die, she would not have kept it quiet. She would have told Yusuke and he would have quite possibly challenged Toguro when he wasn't strong enough. There would be two deaths tonight instead of just one. The thought didn't comfort her one bit, though. She just wished they could have all made it out of this ordeal alive, without a single loss.

Eventually he led her to a clearing where she could see Yusuke's crouched form kneeling over Genkai's lifeless body. He looked broken and devastated and she knew that she had to keep it together. She couldn't fall apart when he was in such poor condition.

"Yusuke…" she began, uncertain of what to say.

He looked up to see Koenma and Botan.

"Leave me alone," he muttered, his voice coarse with grief.

Koenma took a step forward.

"Yusuke don't-"

"What good is being a detective and saving strangers everyday when I can't even save the people who mean the most to me?" he yelled.

"Genkai came to this island knowing what would happen; she was beyond saving. This thing between her and Toguro? It's a lot more complex than any of us could understand," Koenma explained.

Yusuke's fist shook with anger at the mention of his enemy's name, but he remained silent.

"She asked me to relay a message to you," Kurama revealed. "_'Every decision you make affects the ones that care about you. You can't continue to act like a cocky little kid anymore; it's time to grow up. The finals are approaching, dimwit. Make me proud._'"

Yusuke looked back at her body and swallowed hard. His eyes lingered on Genkai's form and Botan could tell he was paying his last respects; saying goodbye. That one gaze said it all. A pained look crossed over his features before he turned away and left.

"You know what you have to do," Koenma instructed.

"I just need some time before I…" Botan stopped, unable to finish her statement.

"Genkai's soul won't wait around forever, you know."

"I know that!" she snapped, before catching herself. "I just—I need to be alone right now."

"Alright, I'll give you some time, but you have to take her to the Spirit World soon."

Botan nodded and watched him walk away.

She kneeled down and leaned forward, reaching her hand out to touch Genkai's face. The weary lines spoke volumes about her experience and life. Botan would have never guessed that such a powerful woman as Genkai would meet her death at the hands of Toguro. It just wasn't fair.

The tears spilled over and poured out uncontrollably, despite Botan's best efforts to hold them back. She knew she had to be strong, but there was no one around but her. She could afford to shed some tears for the woman who had helped them so much. The ferry-girl remained that way for a long time, even after the tears stopped falling. She was completely unaware of the time and lost track of her surroundings until she heard a rustle in the leaves.

She looked up and her gaze was caught by crimson eyes.

"Hiei…"

He looked at Botan and then down at Genkai.

"Toguro did this," he stated, his voice even and emotionless.

Botan nodded, unable to look at him directly anymore.

Hiei turned away, his fists clenched and shaking.

"You should do your job," he bit out.

"Hiei wait—" she called out desperately.

He didn't spare her a glance as he flitted away, leaving her alone, once more. She let out a heavy sigh and forced herself to stand. Hiei was right; she had a job to do.

* * *

Botan arrived back on Hanging Neck Island, the next morning, choosing to land on the outskirts of the forest, nearby the hotel. After spending the night at the Spirit World, in which she had no sleep at all, she decided it would be best if she just returned. It was a clear and beautiful day, but Botan didn't notice any of that as she trudged through the forest.

"Botan!"

She whipped her head to the side and her features brightened.

"Hiro, it's good to see you!" she greeted. "What brings you out here so early?"

"I was just practicing," he said, motioning to the sword on the ground.

"Oh yes, I completely forgot all about that," she exclaimed. "How has your training been going?"

"I could show you, if you want," he offered.

She was supposed to report back to Koenma, but she figured that could wait. Perhaps spending a little time with Hiro would take her mind off of things.

"I'd love that," she replied honestly.

Hiro walked over to the sword and picked it up while she took a seat at the base of a large tree.

He no longer handled the blade with the clumsiness and inexperience that he once possessed. Already his movements held no hesitation; they were swift and accurate. He was balanced and his posture was upright.

She was impressed to see that he had improved greatly over such a short time, but her thoughts were quickly diverted when she noticed a rustling in the bushes.

"Something wrong?" Hiro asked, following her line of sight.

A demon emerged from the outer edges of the clearing and she stood up quickly.

"What's a ferry-girl doing around here?" the demon mused, advancing forward.

Botan gasped as she remembered that she was still in her work attire. She shouldn't have lingered in the forest dressed like that, but with all that had gone on, it was the furthest thing from her mind.

"What's it to you?" Hiro shot back, not at all intimidated by the burly demon.

"So on top of being a human sympathizer and rooting for Team Urameshi, you've allied yourself with Spirit World, too? Kid, there are just some things you'll have to learn the hard way."

Hiro's scarlet eyes narrowed as he glared up at the demon, Hiei's sword held firmly in his grasp.

"He's just a child, leave him alone!" she pleaded as she ran in front of him.

"A ferry-girl protecting a demon, now that's something you don't see everyday," he noted with disgust. He took a step forward and Botan summoned her metal bat, ready to swing and run, but the demon suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He stiffened as his whole body became emblazoned with a dark and menacing fire. His shouts were filled with agony as his flesh incinerated and he was reduced to nothing but a pile of ash.

"What did I tell you about wandering off?" Hiei warned, coming into view.

"I…"

He didn't give her a chance to explain and turned around.

"Wait just a minute!" Botan yelled, suddenly angry at her circumstances. Angry that Genkai wasn't around, angry at Toguro, and angry at Hiei's avoidance. "I don't know what your problem is, but you could at least acknowledge the fact that I'm standing right here! You've been ignoring me ever since yesterday!"

Hiei didn't say a word, but she continued.

"I don't know if you're upset with me, or if you genuinely want to be left alone, but you could at least have the decency to tell me so!" Botan finished in a huff.

"I need to train," Hiei reiterated simply. "I need to get stronger."

"I know that," she sighed, frustrated. "But I just … I get the feeling that something is off between us and after what happened with Genkai—"

"You should get over it," he advised harshly. "For a ferry-girl, you're uncharacteristically incapable of dealing with death."

"She was your teammate, how can you say such callous things?" Botan argued.

Hiei stared back at her for a while, his eyes clouded over and she couldn't tell what he was thinking. For a moment, she was convinced that he wouldn't say anything at all, but sure enough, he did.

"Genkai will be avenged, mark my words. If the spirit detective fails, then I can assure you, Toguro will die by my hands," Hiei promised. "But in the mean time, you need to pick yourself up and stop sulking. You know she would have expected better from you."

Botan was at a loss for words. So he did care about Genkai, after all.

"Go back to the hotel, change out of those damn clothes, and stay out of trouble, because I can't guarantee that I'll be around to save you the next time something like this happens."

She nodded and without a word, Hiei disappeared. She looked back at Hiro, only to find him smirking at her with a strange glint of mischief in his eyes. She recognized that look; Yusuke had a penchant for wearing it.

"What is it?" she asked self-consciously.

"Hmph! And he says he doesn't like her…" he muttered under his breath before shaking his head.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" he covered up.

"I should really go back to the hotel now. But how about we meet up at around lunch time? I'd love to see more of your moves and I'm terribly sorry that we got interrupted."

"You don't have to, you know. I mean, I won't hold it against you if you've got something better to do," Hiro said shrugging it off.

"No, I really want to," Botan assured. "We can meet up in front of the hotel."

Hiro nodded before taking his leave and Botan set her sights on the hotel in the distance. It wasn't a good idea to linger outside in her kimono, especially when a demon could spot her at any time. She entered the hotel as quickly as possible and made her way to Koenma's suite.

"I'm back, sir!" she called, stepping into the room and closing the door quietly.

"I trust Genkai's journey to the Spirit World was a safe one," Koenma stated.

She nodded.

"That was the hardest task I've ever had the displeasure of carrying out," Botan revealed. "Isn't there something we can do to reverse the situation? What if we made Genkai go through an ordeal similar to the one Yusuke did?"

Koenma shook his head grimly.

"We both know that those were special circumstances," Koenma replied. "Genkai knew what her fate would be if she came here and met Toguro. Those two were on a crash course from the day they met and it wasn't our place to interfere."

"It's just not fair," she murmured. "She didn't deserve this."

"With Yusuke in the condition he's in I need you to pull it together. I can only deal with so many distraught employees at a time," Koenma said with a sense of finality.

Botan was silent, her lips drawn into a thin line to avoid herself from saying anything unnecessary.

"Don't let anyone else know about our situation," Koenma instructed. "The girls aren't even supposed to be here and if they know it could become difficult for Yusuke. Just keep them in the dark until the finals begin."

"I understand, sir," she replied mechanically.

"And one more thing," Koenma began.

Botan looked up at him silently.

"Don't beat yourself up over this. Genkai wouldn't want you to."

The ferry-girl nodded, her lips quivering at the mention of the deceased psychic.

"Those were her exact words before we parted in the Spirit World," Botan muttered. "But that's so much easier said than done."

* * *

"Botan, where have you been?" Keiko asked, jumping up from the couch and running over to the bluette's side. "We were all so worried when you didn't come back last night and when Kuwabara told us that Yusuke didn't return either, we didn't know what to think."

Botan lifted her gaze to see the worried faces of her friends and forced a smile.

"I'm sorry for worrying you all like that, but I just had some things that I had to take care of. That's all," she explained.

"And Yusuke?" Keiko pressed.

"Don't worry about Yusuke, he's fine. He just needs some solitude in preparation for the finals."

"What's with the ferry-girl get up, then?" Kuwabara questioned, pointing a finger at her clothes.

Botan looked down at her pink-kimono and frowned.

"Well, I just—"

"Stop it with the third degree," Shizuru cut in. "Can't you see that she's worn out? Give her some breathing space and let her settle in before you start pestering her about her choice in clothing."

"Thanks Shizuru," Botan breathed out, running a hand through her bangs.

"Don't mention it, just get some rest. You look like you've been through hell."

Botan nodded.

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Yukina piped up.

"We were just about to go for breakfast, we can bring something back for you, if you'd like," Keiko offered.

"Thank you all for the concern, but you all can go ahead. I'll be fine," Botan lied.

Shizuru ushered the rest of them out of the door and gave Botan a sympathetic nod before taking her leave as well.

* * *

Hiei arrived at a clearing and he knew that he was in the right spot. This was where she died; he could feel it. The raw power left behind was unmistakable and he hated himself for not being able to attain the same power.

There had been a large crater left behind, no doubt caused by Toguro. Hiei leapt into the air, his eyes narrowed as he focused on summoning as much power as he could, before bringing his fist to the ground and striking.

The ground caved in and pushed aside under the strain of his attack and dust and debris flew everywhere. He jumped back and surveyed the damage with a curse; his crater was nothing compared to Toguro's. He _still_ wasn't strong enough.

He turned on his heels and stalked away.

There was still time.

He would find a way to overcome his weakness; both his physical weakness and his inadequacy to rid himself of his feelings for Botan.

Being in this area only served to remind him of last night, when he came upon the ferry-girl mourning the psychic's death. He had arrived on the scene just in time to see Yusuke stalking off into the distance. He noticed Genkai's corpse and he couldn't contain the flash of anger that ran through him. He witnessed Botan's request to be left alone and the momentary breakdown she had following the toddler's absence. His rage swelled at the sight of it. He wanted revenge, not only for his fallen teammate, but for her tears.

It was a foolish notion and the fact that he had even indulged it convinced him that he was worse off than he thought.

"It's such a shame that things had to end up this way."

Hiei turned around to find Kurama standing a little ways off.

"These tournaments hardly ever end without bloodshed. We should have known it would only be a matter of time until our team was affected," Hiei said simply.

"It still doesn't make it any easier," Kurama noted.

"Hn."

"How have you been faring in your training?"

"See for yourself," Hiei grunted, motioning towards the two craters.

Kurama's eyes passed over the depressions and nodded.

"You'll make it through, somehow; you always do."

"And you?" Hiei asked abruptly. "I can see it in your eyes. Something other than Genkai's demise is troubling you."

"Suzuka sought me out and gave me this," Kurama said, revealing a glass bottle filled with crimson liquid and one heart-shaped fruit. "The smoke from the Idun Box was derived from this very fruit and I can use it to revert into my old state. I believe it was called 'The Fruit of The Previous Life,' handpicked from the realms of Spirit World. But I don't know how long it will last, or if it will even work a second time, at that."

"You're a precocious bastard; you'll figure it out."

"It's hard to tell if I should take that as a compliment or an insult," Kurama mused.

"Take it whichever way you choose; the truth still holds out in either case," Hiei said with a smirk. "You'll always be a fox with a penchant for sticking his nose where it doesn't belong."

"Funny, Yusuke told me the same thing last night."

Hiei's smirk was erased at the mentioning of the spirit detective.

"I haven't seen him since then, but I can't imagine that he's handling this well," Kurama continued.

"If there's one thing I've learned about him, it's that he always pulls through, even under the worst of circumstances," Hiei noted with a hint of resent as he thought back to his first fight with the spirit detective.

"Yes, he gets stronger when the situation takes a turn for the worst. That's why I believe Toguro's intentions were solely for the purpose of rousing Yusuke; not ending the feud between himself and Genkai."

"What?" Hiei barked. "He killed the old woman for the sake of empowering the detective?"

Kurama nodded.

"He could have easily killed Genkai before this tournament started if he really wanted to," Kurama revealed. "But instead he forced Yusuke to enter the tournament, gain experience and power, and ultimately obtain Genkai's spirit orb. Everything he did was to ensure that Yusuke would become a formidable enemy, and killing Genkai saw to that."

"So, we were all forced to come here and risk everything for the sake of his gratification?"

Kurama nodded once more and Hiei cursed.

"In any case, if you are having troubles with your training, perhaps Suzuka can come up with an item for you," Kurama offered.

"I don't need a damn toy to help me win, Kurama. I will do it on my own."

Kurama smiled and nodded.

"Of course you will."

* * *

Botan woke up some time later, feeling uneasy. Her eyes were wet and evidence of her tears was remained on her pillow. She let out a frustrated sigh before throwing the covers off of her body. Was she even tortured in her dreams? Perhaps she had dreamt of Genkai, and she could only hope that it was a heartwarming and pleasant dream that brought tears to her eyes, as she rubbed her sleeve across her face and got up from the bed.

She wracked her brain for any recollections of the dream, but she could find none. Her mind was completely blank and no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't remember.

It was probably for the best, anyway, she concluded. Whatever it happened to be, she knew for sure that it was something that made her heart feel like it was breaking all over again.

Botan trudged over to the bathroom and quickly got ready. She was surprised to find that the girls were nowhere around and briefly wondered where they could be before leaving the room. Figuring she still had time to get a quick bite to eat before she met up with Hiro, she stopped off at the dining area and picked up a sandwich. She ate it quickly, only then realizing just how hungry she was, before exiting. Hiro was waiting outside for her, like he said he would and she smiled at the sight of him.

"Ready to show me your moves?" she asked, surprised at how cheerful she sounded.

Hiro, who was too preoccupied at the moment, merely nodded at her.

"Isn't that your friend over there?" he asked, pointing ahead of him.

Sure enough, there was Kuwabara was prodding at something on the floor with a stick.

"It is!" Botan exclaimed. "But what on earth is he doing?"

They duo walked over to the oblivious psychic

"Having fun?" Hiro asked wryly, causing Kuwabara to divert his attention.

"Oh hey guys!" he exclaimed, dropping the stick immediately and turning to face them. "What brings you out here?"

"Don't stop on our account," Hiro said, muttering something about humans and their eccentricities under his breath.

"Hiro!" Botan scolded and he just looked back up at her and shrugged. "Anyway, Hiro was going to show me how far along he got in his training."

Kuwabara looked down at the remains of a sword in Hiro's hands and eyebrows shot up in realization.

"That's Hiei's sword isn't it?"

"Hiei gave it to him," Botan clarified.

"Wow, shorty knows how to share? That's a shocker!"

"More importantly," Botan began, walking closer to Kuwabara and peering down at the grass. "What were you doing?"

Her eyes focused on a black hilt, lying abandoned on the ground. It looked harmless enough, but Kuwabara was being extra cautious around the thing.

"Well," Kuwabara started, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Suzuka gave me this item and it's supposedly going to help me in the finals."

"Suzuka, as in your opponent from the semi-finals?" Hiro asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, that's the one," the psychic replied. "He said it was called the 'Trial Sword.' It transformed into the Banshee Shriek for Shishiwakamaru so who knows what it will become for me."

"I've heard of it before," Botan informed. "It reacts to your spirit energy and changes accordingly."

"Are you sure you can trust him?" Hiro questioned, crossing his arms. "Maybe the thing sucks in human souls upon contact."

"That's what I was afraid of!" Kuwabara bellowed.

"Let's test that theory out," Hiro said as he picked the hilt up.

"Hey, stop that, it could be dangerous!" Kuwabara scolded, snatching the item out of the boy's hand.

"Since your soul didn't get sucked in, I guess it's safe to use," Hiro claimed, pointing to the Trial Sword.

"He's right, why don't you go ahead and try feeding it some of your energy?" Botan suggested.

Kuwabara's eyes widened when he realized that he was holding the hilt and immediately released it.

"That thing could have almost killed me!" he wailed.

"But it didn't!" Botan exclaimed. "Don't you see? This could be exactly what we've been hoping for; it could help you win in the finals!"

Kuwabara looked at Botan and then back at the hilt, lying on the ground, before nodding.

"You're right," he said, retrieving the item with more confidence this time. He focused his energy towards his hands and pushed it outwards onto the hilt. Suddenly, his energy roared and crackled, shooting upwards and out of the hilt, piercing the blue sky.

"Tell me you guys are seeing this!" Kuwabara murmured, his mouth hanging slightly agape as he stared at the raw power he had produced.

Hiro nodded, unable to form any coherent thought as he watched the orange light illuminate the area around them while Botan clapped her hands together excitedly.

"This is wonderful!"

Kuwabara finally stopped expending his energy and the orange glow dissipated as the energy retracted into the hilt.

"That was totally badass…" Hiro muttered.

Botan gave him a withering look and he shrugged.

"Well it _was_…" he said sheepishly.

Kuwabara turned to face them excitedly.

"I gotta hand it to that Suzuka fellow; he sure does make useful stuff," Kuwabara noted. "And I'm not gonna tell Urameshi or the others about it, either. They're hiding something from me and until I figure out what it is, they're just going to be kept in the dark about my new power, too!"

Botan's smile faded slightly as a pang of guilt ran through her. Genkai was Kuwabara's teammate and he deserved to know too, right? She just couldn't bring herself to tell him, though. No matter how unfair it was.

"I guess it's your prerogative," Botan answered back finally.

"I haven't even seen any of the guys all day," Kuwabara mentioned. "Yusuke's too busy leaving me out of things, Kurama's being elusive, and Hiei's—"

Kuwabara was cut off by a loud bang and the appearance of black flames over the trees.

"Hiei's too busy trying to tame that freaky dragon of his to do anything else," Kuwabara finished.

The flames roared higher this time before waning and Botan let out a loud gasp.

Hiei.

The Dragon of the Darkness Flame.

It all came back to her in frightfully vivid images.

Her nightmare.

Panic spread through her veins and although it was just a dream, she couldn't shake the fear that was suddenly increasing. She had to warn him about it, even if it was irrational.

"I'm so sorry to do this to you again, Hiro, but I really have to go," Botan said suddenly. "I promise I'll make it up to you!"

Without giving either of them any warning, she ran off in the direction of the flames.

* * *

Hiei breathed heavily as the flames disappeared. He was getting nowhere in his training and he had already pushed his body to the limit. Time was running short and the finals would be here in less than a day. He couldn't afford to get lax now.

Light footsteps averted his attention and he immediately recognized who they belonged to. Soon enough Botan arrived, her cheeks flushed and chest heaving as she came to an abrupt halt.

"Hiei, thank goodness, I've found you!" Botan said breathlessly.

"What is it? I thought I told you not to disturb me while I was training," he said, ignoring the tears in her eyes.

"Oh I had the most awful dream. You were training with the dragon and you were having such a hard time controlling it. Then the dragon started behaving wildly and in the end you got swallowed up!"

"What?"

"The dragon – it swallowed you up," she reiterated fearfully. "And it felt so real… I thought I had lost you too!"

Her words ran through his mind, over and over, until it finally added up and it all clicked. It was like a trigger was pulled in his mind and all of the obstacles plaguing him had suddenly been shot down and reduced to rubble.

The anger, the doubts, the urgency; it was all gone and the only thing that remained was clarity. All of the answers he had been seeking were right here, all along. They were in her.

His fingers itched in anticipation and without thinking he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her against him, capturing her lips with his own. Her amethyst eyes widened and her body tensed from the shock of it all, but that soon gave way as her eyes shut slowly and she relaxed into the kiss.

They stayed that way for a while until he broke away first, still holding onto her arms as he looked into her eyes.

"You won't lose me. I'll win tomorrow and it's all because of you, woman. It's always because of _you_."

"What? I don't understand…"

"You don't have to understand," he said.

"There you are!" Kuwabara huffed, stepping into the area. "It's dangerous; you shouldn't just run off on your own like that, Botan."

Hiei released her, his eyes lingered on her for a moment longer, until he tore his gaze away.

"Uh, did we interrupt something?" Kuwabara whispered, looking between the two before looking down at Hiro.

"Obviously," Hiro whispered back before scoffing, "And he still denies it."

Hiei sent Hiro a glare before picking up his cloak and treading off deeper in the forest, with only his thoughts to guide him. It didn't matter where he went, though, because he knew everything that he needed to know from that one encounter with Botan.

It was so painfully obvious that he was surprised he hadn't realized it before.

To fully master the dragon, he couldn't expect to just give up a limb. He needed to give _everything_to the dragon and only then would it accept him as its sole master.

It was just a theory, but it was the only thing he had at this point. Tomorrow, he would submit himself to the dragon and if that didn't work, then nothing would. He would die anyway, at the hands of one of the brutes on Team Toguro, so he had nothing left to lose.

Except for _her_.

He couldn't lie to himself any longer. The woman cast her spell on him and he couldn't break free. He didn't even know if he wanted to break free at this point. There was something about her that drew him in, enticed him. He supposed it was futile to waste time on this internal struggle of denial and self-deprecation, especially with the finals looming over him. He wanted her, plain and simple.

The only question remained was concerning the future and what he would choose to do with these emotions. He learned firsthand what pushing her away did; it only served to frustrate the both of them and the harder he tried to push her away, the more his thoughts wandered back to her.

In the end, he would do exactly as Kurama had said: absolutely nothing.

He would focus on nothing but the victory tomorrow and everything else would just have to be put on hold until then.

* * *

Botan put a hand to her lips, unable to stop the smile that was breaking across her face. It was the first time she had felt this happy ever since Genkai's passing away.

_"You won't lose me. I will win tomorrow woman, and it's because of you. It's always because of you…"_

He hadn't said it with any great fervor or emotion; it was simply stated as a fact. His gaze was intense and it said so many things without him actually having to say a word.

It made her heart flutter and it completely lifted her spirits. He had said it as though it were the utmost truth, without any guarded looks or cautious words. She didn't quite understand what he was getting at when he said that he would win because of her, but he said it with no hesitancy and she believed him.

It was the conviction in his eyes that made her heart skip a beat.

It was the conviction in his eyes that lit up something within her, and she just knew that somewhere, deep down, he cared for her.

She just hoped that his convictions would be enough to win, because he meant more than anyone else and she didn't know what she would do if she lost him too.

* * *

Thanks for the incredible amount of support and feedback I've gotten up until now. You guys never cease to amaze me.

This chapter was hell to write, but I'm glad I managed to complete it. Oh, and isn't Karasu such a creep? That line when he touches Kurama's hair is straight from the anime. He definitely has some kind of sadistic infatuation with our favorite fox.

By the way, Crystal Koneko came out with a new story: "The Big Bang". I've been pestering her about this one non-stop because it's too awesome not to share. If you're in need of a good H/B read, check it out and stick with it, because I can assure you that it will be great.

Last, but not least, (if you celebrate it) enjoy your Thanksgiving! And even if you don't, take some time to be thankful for all the wonderful people and blessings that grace your life!


	13. Chapter 13

More Than Anyone Else

"Talking"

'_Thoughts'_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

A/N: In about a month it will be two years since I published this story. Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday that I started working on this story. Anyway, thanks for sticking with me for so long guys; we're so close to the end!

Chapter 13

* * *

It was the morning of the finals and Botan was up bright and early. She was in Koenma's suite, half-heartedly listening to him babble on about something or the other while he paced back and forth in his adult-form. Rather than paying attention to the Prince of Spirit World, her mind was racing with thoughts of Genkai, the tournament, the boys' survival, and her own feelings for Hiei.

She still hadn't managed to gather up the courage to tell him what was in her heart, and for that, she felt like a complete and utter coward. The boys were facing death every day and she could not bring herself to come to terms with her own emotions. It was pathetic.

"I left the tickets on the nightstand in your room. Don't forget to take them with you before you leave," Koenma instructed, before turning around to look at her. He frowned when he noticed the far-off look in her eyes. "Botan are you listening?"

"Um, yes of course!" she lied, nodding her head innocently as her ponytail bounced along with her movements.

Koenma began speaking again and her thoughts wandered once more. She was a blabbermouth at heart and he was a telepath with a penchant for invading people's thoughts; it was a complete and utter mystery as to how she had managed to contain her secret for so long. Today was the last day of the tournament and time was fleeting. It was now or never. But could she muster up the courage to actually say it to his face … no, she couldn't possibly do that. It was just too hard.

She let out a wistful sigh as she leaned back in the chair.

"What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing, sir!" she said, standing up and shaking all thoughts of Hiei out of her mind. "Shall we make our way to the stadium?"

"No, I've got some business to attend to. You should go on ahead with Keiko and the others first."

"Business?" she echoed, as a slender eyebrow rose in confusion.

"Yes, you'll understand soon enough, now get going!" he ordered, dismissing her.

"Alright, if you say so," Botan said skeptically, exiting his room.

She stood in the hallway for a moment, wondering if she should return to her room or search for the source of all of her anxiety. A part of her wanted to tell him and another part wanted to hide her feelings permanently. She was officially torn. Letting out a huff, Botan dug in her pockets and pulled out a coin. She eyed it intently before nodding.

"If it lands on heads, I absolutely have to tell him right away," she reasoned. "And if it lands on tails, then I can save all of this stress for another day…"

She paused for a moment before gathering her resolve and flipping the coin.

* * *

Hiei was the first to arrive in the hotel lobby. They had agreed to meet up there and depart for the stadium as a team. Although the fire-demon would much rather leave alone, he only followed through with it because it was the detective's first and last wish as team captain.

He looked at the clock on the wall and frowned. It was only natural for the two humans to be late, but Kurama was always punctual. Hiei's best bet was that Kurama was still experimenting on the item their former enemy had given him; the fruit that would allow him to revert to Youko. While Hiei didn't particularly trust anyone else on this island, he knew that this was too good of a chance to pass up. Youko's power was exactly what Kurama needed, but the fact that Kurama was still uncertain of the potion's success troubled him.

Kurama was meticulous and calculating; he overlooked nothing and analyzed every aspect of a situation, whereas Hiei dived in head first, uncaring of the conditions or dangers. The challenge spurred him on and he was anxious to fight, even if his opponent's strength was on a higher level than his own. He felt as though he were revisiting his younger years, when strength was the only thing that mattered to him and he hurled himself into battle time and time again just to prove that point. If he did not win, it was because of his own weakness, and death was the price he was willing to pay.

But this time, he could not just recklessly through himself into battle. Their victory determined whether or not those rooting for them would survive, and for Hiei that meant his sister and Botan. It was not merely his life on the line anymore. He had people that he had to protect, and as much as he hated to admit it, he was no longer fighting solely for the thrill of the kill.

He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. Although he could admit to himself that he wanted to protect Botan, he did not know how far this newfound care for her extended to. It was still a mystery to him. Would anything change between them when the tournament ended, or would the strange spell of Hanging Neck Island be broken once they departed? He didn't know and to be honest, he did not want to think about it. But as per usual on this island, the moment his thoughts wandered towards her, she was sure to follow.

"Hiei!"

He turned to see Botan running over to him, her very presence a stark contrast to the quiet and orderly lobby. She had come to him with her pink shirt slightly wrinkled, amethyst eyes shinning, and cerulean hair tied into a messy ponytail.

"Thank goodness I caught you, I was afraid that you had left for the stadium already!"

Her cheeks were flushed and she was out of breath, he could only guess that she had been looking for him for quite some time now. Despite her disheveled appearance, her mood seemed to have gotten better since yesterday.

"Woman, you look like hell."

"Gee, thanks Hiei, that's what every girl likes to hear first thing in the morning," she said, putting a hand on her hip.

"Hn. I do not have time to–"

He was silenced when she put a finger to his lips suddenly. He opened his mouth to object, but she spoke before he could get a word out.

"You don't have to say anything," she revealed, before removing her finger. "I just ask that you listen to what I have to say."

He only nodded in response and she let out a sigh of relief.

"I believe in you wholeheartedly, Hiei. So when you told me yesterday that you would win, I expect you to do just that. I need you to survive this tournament because I…" she paused, wringing her hands nervously. "I …"

"You said you would make this quick," he reminded, completely oblivious to what the ferry-girl was getting at.

"I'm trying to, Hiei! It's just a lot harder than I thought it would be. I recited it in my head and everything on the way down here, but as soon as I saw you all my thoughts went blank. And to top it all off, you keep staring at me with that strange look in your eyes and it makes it even harder to concentrate, let alone articulate—"

"Get to the point," he gritted out, trying his best to keep his temper under control.

"It's like they say, actions speak louder than words. If I can't tell you, then I simply have to show you," she resolved as she took a step closer to him.

"What are you–?"

Her lips were on his before he could get another word out. It was soft and gentle, and instinct told him to deepen the kiss, to pull her closer to him, to not let her go, but it was over before it barely began. She gave him a feeble smile as the blood rushed to her cheeks.

"That's all I wanted to say."

She turned around and ran out of the lobby before anymore words could be exchanged and although he could very well catch up to her if he wanted to, Hiei decided against it. The woman was right; actions did speak louder than words, and her actions spoke volumes. He distinctly remembered her saying that a kiss was meant to be between two people who actually cared for each other. If that was her belief, and she had initiated the kiss, it could only mean one thing.

"Just what the hell was that?"

Hiei turned to his left to see Yusuke standing there, brown eyes twinkling in mischief.

"Nothing," Hiei replied curtly, staring ahead at the doors indifferently.

"It didn't look like 'nothing' to me," Kuwabara teased, appearing beside the detective with a smug grin.

"Yes, it seemed to me like the beginnings of a confession," Kurama noted, making his way closer to the group.

Hiei rolled his eyes. Of course they would all arrive at the most inopportune moment. His luck remained shitty up until the very end of this blasted tournament.

"Botan and Hiei, sitting in a tree, F-U-"

"Finish that sentence and I will slit your throat, detective," Hiei growled, clenching his fists tightly.

"But you don't even have your sword, half-pint!" Kuwabara pointed out. "Getting so worked up over Botan that you're forgetting to prepare yourself for the tournament, huh?"

"The sword is no longer with me and if you had half a brain you would remember that," Hiei retorted.

"Oh yeah, you gave it to Hiro. But don't try to change the subject, shorty! You've got it bad for Botan!" Kuwabara bellowed.

"Or she's got it bad for him," Yusuke mused. "Either way he's still damned."

Crimson eyes narrowed dangerously and Kurama decided that it was time he stepped in.

"Perhaps we should focus on the real issue at hand," the redhead advised. "You two can go back to teasing Hiei all you like once we have defeated Team Toguro."

The mention of Toguro sparked something within Yusuke. His smile vanished and he swallowed hard.

"Oh, come on, I think we can spare a few more seconds, right Urameshi?" Kuwabara joked, grinning ear to ear as he turned to his friend.

Yusuke shook his head.

"Kurama's right," he stated, punching a fist into his open palm. "It's time to kick some demon ass!"

Yusuke walked forward first, Kurama and Hiei following suit, but Kuwabara remained stationery.

"Uh, guys, shouldn't we wait for Genkai?"

Yusuke froze for a moment, a solemn look crossing his features before he hardened his expression. Hiei could tell that the detective was still rattled over the mere mention of his mentor and the response he gave was no surprise to the fire-demon.

"She's not well," Yusuke answered curtly.

"That's too bad, we could have really used her power this time," Kuwabara replied before brightening up. "Maybe we can get Botan or Yukina to heal her and then she can join us for the final round!"

"We only need three wins to claim the victory," Hiei declared confidently. "And between Kurama, the detective, and myself we will have just that."

"Hey!" Kuwabara bellowed, completely forgetting his previous train of thought. "Don't count me out, shorty! I'll definitely win this time, you'll see."

Hiei ignored the psychic and continued walking. With Genkai gone and Kuwabara's horrible track record, he had to make damn sure that he ensured their team one victory. It was just a theory, but something in the back of his mind was telling him that he was on the right track. He would do what no one else was able to, what no one else was willing to do: he would surrender it all to the dragon and let it consume him. Whatever happened after that was left to fate.

* * *

Team Urameshi stood outside of the doors leading into the stadium, each waiting for Juri to announce their presence and preparing themselves mentally for what was to come.

"Did you arrange for a substitute fighter to take Genkai's place?" Kurama asked, breaking the silence.

"I did, but the little twerp should have been here by now," Yusuke replied, the irritation leaking through his tone.

Before anyone could respond, the doors opened and light streamed through the darkness.

"On my left, the underdogs of this year's Dark Tournament: Team Urameshi!" Juri proclaimed.

The sound of demons roaring and hollering assaulted their ears as they stepped into the area. The death threats had not changed, but the velocity and volume had increased. It seemed as though the audience was convinced that today would finally be the end of Team Urameshi. Hiei scoffed as he stepped into the arena. They were all a bunch of mindless drones that lacked strength, principles, and loyalty.

"And now, please put your hands together for everyone's favorite: Team Toguro!" Juri announced, motioning over to the large doors to her right.

The doors creaked opened slowly, leaving the crowd to gape in wonder as the team stepped out into the light. The Toguro Brothers appeared first, followed by Bui and Karasu. They were met with the sounds of encouragement and excitement from the audience, a stark contrast to the welcome that Team Urameshi had received.

There was a standstill between the two teams as each member stared down their opponent. The rage swelled within Yusuke as he glared at Toguro. A mixture of anticipation and nervousness bubbled within Kuwabara and he tried his best not to let it show as he stared down his opponents. Karasu sent Kurama a look that made the fox want to end this all the more sooner and a similar air of impatience grew within Hiei. This was it; the final test of their will.

"We seem to have a problem," Juri stated looking between the two teams nervously. "Since this is the final round, each team is required to have five fighters. I'll have to ask that both teams find a substitute member."

"Hey," Kuwabara muttered, nudging Yusuke with his elbow. "You did say that you found a replacement for Genkai, but I want you to know that imaginary friends don't count!"

"Right," Yusuke scoffed. "I think it'd be best if you didn't talk for the remainder of the tournament."

The dissent grew within the crowd as they began demanding that the tournament begin. Juri looked on fretfully, trying to calm them down, but to no avail. There were no exceptions to the rules; the tournament simply couldn't begin so long as each team was short a member.

* * *

"No ticket, no seat, no exceptions!" the guard said, swinging his club menacingly at a group of demons that were trying to weasel their way inside of the stadium.

"I'm so sorry, girls," Botan apologized. "I was so preoccupied that I forgot to ask Koenma about the entry tickets. It seems that we won't be able to watch the finals."

"Well, that just won't do. Desperate times call for desperate measures," Shizuru said, cracking her knuckles and taking a step forward.

"Wait, you're not going to do what I think you're going to do, are you?" Keiko asked hesitantly.

"I'm all ears if you've got a better idea," Shizuru replied.

"No," Keiko sighed.

"Attack is really our only option," Yukina agreed, causing all of the girls to look at her wildly.

"Why Yukina, aren't you full of fire today?" Botan said amusedly.

The ice-maiden only smiled in return.

"Hey," Shizuru muttered, her attention fixated on a crowd of demons in front of them. "Isn't that…"

"It's that sleazy scalper who tried to sell Koenma those fourth-rate tickets!" Botan shouted, pointing over at the culprit.

"Well I'm glad you remember me, sweet stuff," he said with a smirk, making his way over to the girls. "I couldn't help but overhear your predicament. It seems you lovely ladies are in need of help."

"We sure as hell don't need any from you," Shizuru countered tersely.

"Oh really?" he said in feign concern, as he fished within his pockets and pulled out four entry tickets. "So you wouldn't be interested in these, then? Normally they'd go for a pretty high price but for you ladies, I'd be willing to sell them for, oh I'd say, five-thousand clams a piece!"

Shizuru snatched the tickets out of his hands and smirked.

"Oh, how silly of me!" she remarked, shaking her head. "I must have forgotten that the tickets were in my pocket the whole time!"

"Hey, you better give those back!" he bellowed.

"I guess I could be wrong, but these look an awful lot like our tickets," she said. "Don't they?"

Keiko looked up nervously at the brunette and nodded.

"Botan?" Shizuru asked, turning to the ferry-girl and brandishing the tickets.

"Yes, yes those are definitely our tickets!" Botan agreed, clapping her hands together. "Our tickets definitely!"

"Alright, that's very funny girls, but give me back the tickets now," the demon said sternly, holding his hand out.

"But our names are already on it, see?" Shizuru said, showing him the ticket.

Yukina and Keiko proceeded to do the same as Botan hid the marker behind her back.

"Told you so," Botan said in a sing-song voice as she grinned ear to ear.

The crowd of demons behind him began to grumble in consent and the scalper demon frowned.

"So you see, we really didn't need your help, after all," Shizuru asserted as she began to lead the girls away.

"Thank you for holding our tickets," Yukina said, bowing politely.

"Sorry for the misunderstanding," Keiko piped in.

"I hope you've learned that it isn't right to take advantage of people," Botan scolded before following the others.

"I could never resist the charm of a beautiful woman, much less four crafty ones," the scalper muttered to himself with a sigh.

"Yeah, but they've got no trouble resisting you," a horned demon said in response.

"Shut up!"

* * *

"Both teams must find a replacement soon, because if you don't I'll be forced to disqualify you and forfeit the match!"

Toguro smirked as the doors behind them opened up.

"Our reserved team member is always ready to join us," he revealed as Sakyo stepped out into the field.

Shizuru let out a small gasp and Botan looked over to her, instantly recognizing what was going on in the girl's head.

"Toguro is prepared, now present your fighter or else the tournament is over!" Juri ordered looking down at Team Urameshi.

"Come on, Mr. Team Captain, we've got like two seconds until we're disqualified. What now, genius?" Kuwabara grumbled.

Yusuke remained silent as he clenched his fists.

"Since Team Urameshi has failed horribly to present a fifth member, I hereby announce Team Toguro as the winner of the Dark Tournament!"

"Patience is a virtue missy," a voice interrupted as the doors opened and smoke blanketed the floor.

"Wow, this new guy even emits some kind of magical smoke!" Kuwabara shouted in surprise.

"No, I just thought it would be a nice touch," Koenma said as the smoke cleared and revealed his adult-form.

"So that's what he meant when he said he had business to attend to," Botan mumbled. "He intended to stand in as the team's replacement fighter."

"I've been meaning to ask about Genkai's absence… why would Koenma need to replace Genkai in the first place? Is she alright?" Keiko questioned.

Botan's eyes widened and suddenly, she was at a loss for words.

"She…"

"She's sick," Shizuru interjected calmly, not missing a beat. "She's back at the hotel resting."

"Oh, well it's a pity she couldn't be here, if only to watch the matches. I mean, she helped them reach this far and now she can't even see how it all ends," Keiko lamented.

"Yes, it's a real shame," Botan murmured sullenly, eyes downcast and voice low. Her thoughts lingered on the deceased psychic for a few moments before turning her attentions back to the ring.

"Wait a second, you can't just switch teammates," Juri said sternly. "The rules say you can only bring in a new member if the original fighter is dead."

Yusuke glared back at her, but remained silent. The crowd quieted down as they awaited a response.

"Well, about that…" Yusuke began.

"It doesn't matter," Sakyo finished.

"Their team won't even make it to the fifth match, so there is no need for Junior to fight," Karasu revealed. "We all know he's just there to take up space."

Juri looked between the two teams before giving a reluctant nod.

Karasu stepped forward first and Kuwabara gave an excited shout.

"I'm gonna beat him so bad his mother won't even recognize him!"

"No," Kurama cut in, as he took a step forward, his emerald gaze set firmly on the opponent. "I will handle him."

Kuwabara looked between the two fighters before shrugging and taking a step back.

"Okay, if you insist."

"Alright then, it's been decided that the first match will be between Team Toguro's Karasu and Team Urameshi's Kurama! Let the first match begin!"

* * *

Hiei watched Kurama's match through sharp and wary eyes. Karasu was a vicious creature who seemed to enjoy each and every ounce of blood that he could draw out from Kurama. It was clear to Hiei that Karasu had targeted Kurama for some days now, and while Hiei was confident in Kurama's skills, Karasu was no pushover. Much like Kurama with his manipulation of plants, Karasu was able to manipulate objects with his energy, except he could manifest his thoughts into tangible objects. It was proving to be quite a troublesome match for Kurama, especially since the damn reversal potion had not kicked in yet. Hiei had recalled Kurama saying that each time he took the concoction the reversal process took longer to sooner in and the effects of the fruit wore off quicker. It was only a matter of time until he turned back, but time wasn't a luxury afforded to him right now.

Hiei was pulled out of his thoughts when Karasu summoned a few sticks of dynamite in his hand with the slightest of efforts and smirked as he threw it towards Kurama. An explosion erupted, covering the two fighters and leaving everyone fearing the worst. Through the smoke, dark energy crackled as an ominous energy signal sprang to life.

"I remember this smoke and if my suspicions are true then we're in for a heart-stopping blast from the past!" Koto recalled as the smoke began to dissipate.

Hiei smirked. It was about time.

"Oh yeah!" Kuwabara hollered. "Kurama's definitely gonna be able to defeat that freak now!"

Yusuke blinked confusedly as he looked between Hiei's smug countenance and Kuwabara's confident cheers.

"You're tellin' me that all this freaky energy is coming from Kurama?" he questioned.

"Look closely, detective, this is Kurama in his true form," Hiei said, pointing to the figure that stepped out of the smoke.

"I knew it; it's that foxy Youko Kurama!" Koto announced as the crowd began to whisper in wonder at the second sighting of the legendary bandit.

"I was pretty surprised too when I first saw him like this," Kuwabara explained. "But he's crazy strong when he's in this form. Karasu won't even be able to lay a finger on him."

"That's a relief," Yusuke said, before turning back to the ring and cupping his hands to his mouth. "Kick his ass Kurama!"

Karasu, seemingly less enthused and unimpressed by the sudden transformation, summoned more bombs and sent them straight for Youko. The latter was at ease and disposed of them easily, much to Hiei's amusement. Karasu, however, did not give up easily. This time, he summoned tracer bombs to follow Youko's movements. He forced Youko Kurama into a defensive position and had the fox on the run, dodging bomb after bomb until he was finally surrounded. Despite his current predicament, Youko remained calm and unleashed a large burst of energy effortlessly.

The bombs were detonated and in its place, grew a large and ominous plant.

"The Ojiki Plant," Youko began, "also has the ability to sense the slightest bit of vibration and will quickly close its leaves around its prey. It seems it has set its sights on you; all of your trembling must have triggered it."

The plant advanced on the black-haired fighter and Karasu was now on the run, trying his best to avoid the plant's numerous leaves. He fought back, throwing bombs towards the Ojiki, but it was to no avail. The leaves surrounded Karasu and closed in on him, devouring the man whole.

Youko began walking away from the scene as Kuwabara and Yusuke congratulated him on a quick and victorious fight, but Hiei was uneasy. He could still sense Karasu's power and that meant that this fight was far from finished.

"Hey – stay back!" Juri warned frightfully as the plant advanced towards her.

Youko turned around and his gold eyes widened as bright green energy shot through the leaves and disintegrated them. Karasu stepped out, unharmed, but without his mask.

"You shouldn't count me out, yet. I've still got plenty of fight left in me," he snarled.

Youko took a defensive stance as Karasu began glowing and his hair changed from jet black to blond. He opened his mouth and sucked in the surrounding air and the energy surrounding his body increased. Floating to the top of the stadium, he released a massive amount of energy and hurled it towards Kurama.

The aftermath of the attack destroyed a part of the stadium walls and covered members of the audience in rubble. Hiei had avoided getting trapped amidst the chaos and watched as Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Koenma crawled out of the debris. The only one left was Youko.

"Kurama?" Yusuke called out, his eyes searching the area surrounding the ring for any sign of his teammate.

Hiei picked up on his energy, his eyes locking onto an area covered with broken pieces of the stadium. It had decreased drastically and that could only mean one thing. Karasu began laughing as rubble was pushed aside revealing Kurama in his human host, Shuichi Minamino. His body was bruised and battered and he limped back onto the ring with great effort. He was in no condition to be fighting someone of Karasu's caliber, but Hiei trusted in Kurama's strength and cunning nature.

As the fight continued, Karasu mercilessly continued unleashing his bombs on Kurama. Kurama had only managed to attack Karasu once by embedding a seed in the demon's chest, but Karasu caught on and quickly removed it. All that was left was a bleeding wound that was nothing more than a scratch to someone of Karasu's level. Without bothering to cover it, he continued his relentless barrage of bombs and Kurama was left a staggering and bloodied mess.

Kurama was on the floor now, unable to even stand as Juri started her count. The redhead forced himself on his hands and knees and began to muster up the last of his energy. He had begun to dip into his life energy and by the looks of it he intended to use it all up in one final attack. The mark of the wound and the scent of blood was more than enough to make Karasu the target of a bloodthirsty plant. Soon enough, Kurama summoned a plant that went straight for the wound on Karasu's chest, draining the energy out of Kurama and killing Karasu.

The redhead dropped the ground and all was silent. Hiei's eyes widened as he watched his former partner in crime, his ally, and his friend lie on the floor completely lifeless. He knew that death was a possibility for each and every fighter, but he never expected this fate to befall Kurama. As the shock wore off, the anger began to surge within him; anger and something else, something that he couldn't quite pinpoint. It was the same feeling when he saw Genkai's corpse. Hiei swallowed hard and clenched his fists.

"It can't be…" Yusuke muttered.

Kuwabara remained silent, his gaze locked onto the fallen fighter.

Just as Hiei was about to turn away from the scene, a sudden spike in Kurama's energy kept him immobilized. The redhead's fingers twitched, then his eyes opened, and his body moved unsteadily. Kurama forced himself to stand up on shaky legs and his eyes were wide in confusion.

"Of course," Hiei heard Kurama mutter to himself with a small smile. "Each time I took the potion, its effects were shortened because some of Youko's power was being transferred into me. Although I thought I had given all of my energy to the plant, a bit of Youko's energy still remained and that is what sustained me…"

Hiei smirked. So Kurama's life was spared because he been overly cautious and tried the potion more than one time. The lingering effects of his past trials left just enough energy within him to keep him alive. Hiei had always hated Kurama's overly scrupulous nature, but he supposed there was some use for it.

"And the winner is Team Urameshi!" Koto announced.

Yusuke and Kuwabara began cheering, but Hiei frowned. By his calculations, the winner was not Kurama.

"Um … hold on," Juri said feebly, causing all sounds to quell. "The official announcement says the winner of the match is Karasu."

"What?" Yusuke exclaimed in utter disbelief. "How the hell does a dead guy win?"

"Kurama was down for ten seconds after I started counting!" Juri defended.

"I'm sorry, if only I had gotten up a fraction of a second sooner," Kurama apologized.

Yusuke shook his head before glaring pointedly at Juri.

"Don't sweat it; we'll just have to win the next one."

The moment Kurama stepped off of the ring, another fighter advanced. It was Bui of Team Toguro. He seemed all too anxious to engage in battle and Hiei could not agree more.

"Yusuke," Hiei began. "I had intended to take on Toguro for myself, but after what he's done to Genkai I believe vengeance belongs to you. I will take this one on."

* * *

Botan watched with baited breath as Hiei stepped into the ring and challenged a colossal demon that was nearly double his size. The two fighters didn't even exchange a single word before Bui immediately began dislodging tiles from the ring with his axe and chucking them at Hiei. The latter effortlessly dodged them without missing a beat. They continued for some time, until Hiei soon grew tired of the game. Using his fists of the mortal flame, Hiei reduced the tiles to ash and successfully fended off Bui's axe.

"Your weapons can't harm me," Hiei informed.

Bui ignored Hiei's advice, as he summoned another axe and hurled it towards Hiei.

"I warned you that your axe was futile, but you refuse to listen, much to your disadvantage and to my boredom," Hiei mocked as he incinerated the axe with ease.

"Sorry to bore you," Bui spoke, for the first time since the match began, his baritone voice calm and commanding. "I'll remove my armor."

As he dropped various parts of his armor, the audience was shocked to see that it created dents and craters within the ring.

"Hn. Weighted armor," Hiei observed.

"Most fighters wear armor to protect themselves from their opponents. But I wear mine to protect my opponents from myself. You see, my power is so great, I have trouble containing it."

Although his words sounded patronizing, Botan could tell that the demon was anything but condescending. His tone remained even throughout his speech and his words held nothing but the genuine truth. He was the complete opposite of Hiei's fiery and cocky mannerisms, both in personality and size.

Bui's energy skyrocketed and he wasted no time, jumping in the air and unleashing an attack on Hiei.

As Hiei dodged it, he realized the attack was similar to Karasu's bombs or Kurama's plants. They sensed motion and trailed after it. He smirked as he led the attack straight to Bui and phased away, leaving the latter to take the full force of his attack.

Bui, although surprised, was unharmed.

"I only used the amount of energy necessary to defeat you, this small amount would have no effect on me," Bui explained.

"So I need more energy to defeat you," Hiei surmised, as he brought his left hand to his right arm and began to slowly undo the bandages. "Well, if that's what you want, then that's exactly what you'll get."

"Oh please be careful," Botan muttered as she watched him unwrap the bandages on his arm. Bui was an incredibly strong opponent and based on all of his training yesterday, Hiei still had not learned how to tame the dragon.

"You should be honored," Hiei announced. "You'll be the next sacrifice to the Dragon of the Darkness Flame."

Black flames leaped from Hiei's arm and encircled the stadium. It was even more powerful and menacing than the last time he used it and Botan felt a cold chill run through her as the dragon's power continued increasing. The stadium crumbled under the strain of the energy when the dragon was fully summoned and Hiei set it straight on a course for Bui.

The opponent remained as composed as ever, and he held his ground even as the dark dragon advanced. When it made contact, the force was enough to push him back, but Bui refused to go down without a fight. He exerted a great amount of strength in an effort to change the dragon's course. It seemed futile, but there was something about Bui's strength that bothered Botan. And sure enough, her worry was warranted, as he began to overpower the dragon. Step after step, Bui gained momentum and speed until he was finally able to send the dragon straight towards Hiei. There wasn't enough time for Hiei to react and his own attack swallowed him in one fail swoop.

The panic coursed through Botan's veins and she felt as though she might as well have been the one on the receiving end of the dragon.

"No…" she whispered, her eyes glued to the spot where Hiei's body once occupied. "It can't be."

Shizuru put a hand on her shoulder, but Botan barely felt it.

A plethora of thoughts ran through her mind, but the biggest of all was that she _loved_him, and she didn't want him gone.

The tears sprung to her eyes and heart felt heavy all of a sudden. This was just too much; she didn't think she could bear it.

"I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't just seen it," Koto's voice cut through the silence. "Bui actually managed to re-direct the Dragon of the Darkness Flame's path and turn it on its owner!"

"Right, I guess reciting the count would be a bit pointless now, wouldn't it?" Juri muttered, before clearing her throat and motioning over to Bui. "With that said, the winner of this match is–"

"Hey, fish-girl!" Yusuke cut in. "How about you shut-up and look up?"

Juri blinked twice and followed Yusuke's line of sight before letting out a gasp.

Black flames were roaring to life and out of the darkness a bright energy signal emerged. It shot down onto the ring and out from the smoke, Hiei emerged. Botan rubbed her eyes to make sure she was seeing clearly – the tears had been blurring her vision – and when she heard him speak, she knew she wasn't hallucinating. Fresh tears began to fall, but this time out of pure relief and joy.

"Countless centuries of countless masters trying to harness the power of the darkness flame," Hiei started as he let his energy skyrocket. "Only I have had the courage, the strength, and the abandon to realize its potential. I have the power of the black dragon, because now I am the dragon."

Bui punched Hiei in the face, but the fire-demon did not budge. He then began a fury of attacks against Hiei, putting more force into his punches, but nothing he did seemed to affect the fire-demon.

"…So he really has consumed the dragon," Botan muttered. "He's the true master of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame now."

She wondered if her dream had anything to do with his decision to let the dragon take him and she smiled. If that was all she could do for him, it was more than enough.

"It's incredible," Keiko muttered. "That Bui guy can't even hurt him."

"Yes, his power is unrivaled," Yukina muttered.

After a few more failed attempts to defeat Hiei, Bui was at his wits end. Bui was breathing heavily; nothing he did seemed to pierce through Hiei's power.

"Come now, can't you even test me?" Hiei mocked.

Bui charged the fire-demon and Hiei released an energy blast, shooting Bui into the ground. Chasing after him, Hiei unleashed a combination of kicks and punches, sending Bui flying all around the stadium. With one final blow from Hiei, the giant demon came crashing down into the stands.

"Both fighters are outside of the ring, I'll begin the count!" Juri announced as she started counting.

"Finish me," Bui pleaded. "I only entered this tournament so that I could defeat Toguro, but now I see that it's futile. My strength hit a plateau a long time ago, while his continued to grow. You have defeated me, so it's your right to kill me."

"No, if you want to die, then kill yourself," Hiei said before turning his back on his opponent and jumping back to the ring. "I don't take orders, especially from those I beat."

Botan's heart swelled with pride.

"And he said he wasn't honorable," she muttered to herself.

"What was that?" Keiko asked.

"Oh, nothing!" she said with a smile, waving them off.

"…8, 9, and 10! The second fight is over! Hiei takes the victory!" Juri called out.

As he stepped off of the ring and onto the field with the rest of the team, Botan noticed the sluggish steps and weary movements he made. He must have taken in more than he could handle, and her suspicions were confirmed when he promptly passed out on the floor.

Botan stood up immediately and made her way down the stairs.

"Botan, where are you going?" Keiko called out.

"Just fulfilling my duties as team trainer!" she replied, not bothering to turn around and she made her way towards the team.

"Hello, everybody, Botan here, reporting for duty!" she said cheerily.

"Botan, what are you doing here? Get back to your seat!" Koenma scolded.

"We can't very well leave Hiei to rest out here, can we? I'll stay with him in one of the back rooms," she suggested.

Yusuke raised a brow and she continued.

"As team trainer, it's my duty to take care of you all! I'm sure Hiei will heal much quicker if he's in a quiet and comfortable environment."

Botan looked over to Kurama.

"You should come, too Kurama. I'm sure I'll be able to heal you up in a jiffy."

"That's alright. I can manage."

"Always so stubborn," she said with a smile. "So who's going to help me bring him in?"

"Hello, earth to Team Urameshi? We're waiting for another fighter!" Juri called.

"I guess it's my turn to dish out the damage!" Kuwabara said excitedly, as he jumped onto the ring.

"Well, I guess I'll help you with the little runt," Yusuke said, hooking his arms underneath Hiei's limp ones and dragging him away.

* * *

Botan propped Hiei's head up against her lap and stroked his hair softly as she stared down at him. He looked so peaceful and serene sleeping here that she would have never guessed a few hours ago he was the cause of the most destruction this tournament had ever seen if she hadn't witnessed it firsthand.

The stadium and the ring were both so badly damaged that the tournament was put on hold until they could bring a new ring into the arena. They expected the tournament to be pushed off until tomorrow, but Toguro marched in with the ring from the previous stadium on his back, saving hours of labor and effort.

Kuwabara was probably fighting right now and Botan could only hope he was faring well on his own.

Hiei's eyes snapped open and he shot up into a sitting position. Before he could even get a word out, Botan launched herself onto him.

"Oh, Hiei I'm so happy that you're alright!"

His hands moved to her shoulders in an attempt to push her off of him, but something stopped him from doing so. They remained that way for a while, until she pulled away and wiped some tears from her eyes.

"Were you …"

Botan shook her head.

"I'm just happy, that's all."

Hiei looked around the room, still drained from his fight.

"Where are we?"

"We're in the locker rooms; you've been out for quite some time now."

"Did we win?"

Botan shrugged her shoulders.

"You caused such a big ruckus that they had to postpone the tournament in lieu of repairing the ring. The matches restarted a little while ago and Kuwabara is currently fighting the elder Toguro brother."

"Then we've probably lost this match," Hiei scoffed. "That fool has been a handicap since the very first round."

"That's a horrible thing to say about your teammate! You know how hard he tries and his heart is in the right place," Botan defended.

"It takes a lot more than silly little convictions to win," he countered.

"They aren't silly little convictions; a little belief goes a long way you know!" Botan shot back, as a wave of de-ja-vu settled over her. "You know, I could have sworn we had this conversation already…"

"We did," Hiei replied. "After the first round of the tournament you insisted on giving a foolishly optimistic speech in order to cheer Kuwabara up. But I stand on what I said before and I'll say it again: what he needs is more power."

Botan upturned her nose in the air haughtily.

"Then it's a good thing he found a way to obtain more power."

"What?"

"Kurama wasn't the only one that Suzuka gave an item to," she replied in a sing-song voice.

"Then perhaps the fool stands a chance, but one question is still left unanswered," Hiei noted, the corner of his mouth curving upwards into a smirk that put Botan on edge.

"A-and that is?"

"If you believe so wholeheartedly in your convictions, then why are you in here with me instead of out there rooting for him?"

Botan was taken aback as Hiei bore his crimson eyes into her own, awaiting an answer. He fully well knew why, she could see as much in his eyes, but she refused to give him the answer he wanted to hear. Botan willed herself to remain calm and she cleared her throat.

"As team trainer, it's my duty to look after you boys," she recited with a finger in the air, her eyes focused on the wall ahead of her instead of the fire-demon beside her. "I was simply making sure that you were alright."

"Try again."

"I, uh, needed an excuse to get away from all of the senseless and bloody fighting?"

Hiei shot her an unconvinced look and Botan let out a huff.

"Oh, Hiei, you already know the reason why; I think I made it perfectly clear this morning!" she snapped, standing up from her seated position and pointing down at him. "It isn't nice to tease someone about such a sensitive topic, especially when you have yet to say a word about the whole issue."

She had effectively turned the tables on him and she gave herself a mental pat on the back as she awaited an answer. But the longer she waited for him to speak, the more nervous she had become and she found herself suddenly afraid of what he might say. Her scrutinizing gaze softened as she pulled her accusing finger back.

"You don't have to say anything at all, of course," Botan said hurriedly. "But it would be nice to hear what's on your mind…"

Hiei stood up so that he was face to face with her.

"The truth may not be what you want to hear."

"I know that, but even so, I would like to hear you say it. I need to hear you say it, Hiei."

"Shut up Urameshi, I don't want to hear it from you. I don't want to hear anything from any of you!" Kuwabara yelled as he barged into the room angrily.

Yusuke, Kurama, and Koenma followed suit, each trying to calm the psychic down, but he refused to listen to them. Botan tore her gaze away from Hiei, feeling a strange mixture of relief and disappointment that their conversation was cut short, and turned to Kuwabara. If he was standing before her, a sight for sore eyes, but alive nonetheless, then it meant that he had won his match. She would have been thrilled had it not been for the tension in the room.

"What's going on?" Botan asked hesitantly, looking between Yusuke and Kuwabara.

"Did you know about Genkai, too, Botan?" Kuwabara asked grimly.

Botan immediately felt the cold sting in his tone and the guilt washed over her as she gauged his expression carefully.

"Kuwabara… who—how did you find out?"

"It was that stupid Elder Toguro who told him," Yusuke answered.

"Shut up, I'm not talkin' to you Urameshi!"

"Boys, please. You shouldn't fight," Botan pleaded.

"Botan's right," Koenma added thoughtfully. "I told her not to say a word about Genkai to anyone because I didn't want it distracting you. Yusuke was there when it happened, so it couldn't be helped and Kurama and Hiei must have found out on their own."

"We all had our reasons for not telling you directly, but I can assure you that it wasn't out of spite," Kurama insisted.

Kuwabara huffed and crossed his arms.

"I put up with a lot of things. You guys are always leaving me out of the important stuff and treating me like I'll break, but despite what you think I could have handled this. You should have just told me, Urameshi!" Kuwabara shouted. "She was my teammate, too. I deserved to know."

"I don't have time for this," Yusuke muttered, stepping out of the room.

"Kuwabara, that wasn't very nice!" Botan rebuked crossly.

"Yeah, well neither was keeping me in the dark," he muttered.

"Would you stop acting like a child and think about how hard this is for Yusuke? What he needs right now is your support, not your disapproval of the way he handled things. Although he's probably reluctant to admit it, she was one of the most important people in his life."

Kuwabara remained silent as Botan continued.

"Admitting to you that Genkai was gone, meant admitting that to himself, and he simply was not ready for that. He couldn't bring himself to tell you, Kuwabara."

Kuwabara's gaze softened as he looked towards the spot where Yusuke once stood. A look of understanding crossed his features and he sighed.

"I guess you're right," he relented before pausing to give Botan a hesitant look. "How was she … I mean, when you took her to Spirit World?"

"Strong as ever," Botan said with a sad smile. "She seemed to be handling her death better than any of us."

Kuwabara let out a small laugh.

"That sounds just like her."

A moment of silence passed over the group before Koto ran into the room.

"Get out here; it's time for the final match. You guys can't just run off whenever you want you know, we've got a live and very rowdy audience on our hands and it isn't wise to keep them waiting."

"Oh crap, I completely forgot that Urameshi still had his match," Kuwabara muttered before running out.

As they followed suit, Botan couldn't help but wonder what it was that Hiei was going to tell her. She supposed she could always ask him again, once the tournament was over. If they were still alive, that is.

* * *

The fight was in full-swing now; Yusuke's spirit cuffs were off and Toguro was at full strength. The ring was nothing but small bits of rubble on the floor and the whole stadium was breaking apart due to the colossal nature of the two fighter's spirit energy. The size of the audience was cut drastically, as Toguro began mercilessly slaughtering them in an attempt to test his powers. The demons that once rooted for Yusuke's death were now rooting for his victory, in the hopes that they would be spared from Toguro's reign of terror.

Although Yusuke was giving it everything he had, Toguro was still unaffected by the detective's onslaught of attacks. All of the power had obtained from Genkai still wasn't enough to destroy Toguro.

"Those two are gonna make the whole stadium crash down on us," Kuwabara wailed frantically. He searched the stands with newfound determination as he summoned his spirit sword. "Fear not Yukina my love, the great Kuwabara will save you!"

"Relax, clown. She can handle herself," Hiei said, not bothering to tear his gaze from the match.

"What?"

Kuwabara looked over to the girls and sighed in relief when he saw that they were safe. Yukina had created a barrier that was strong enough to protect the girls from the wreckage.

"I'm glad they're okay," he said with a smile. Suddenly a loose piece of the dome came crashing down, nearly crushing the psychic. He gulped as he stared down at the stone that almost caused his demise. "That was a close one."

"If you're that scared of a little rubble, then you deserve to die," Hiei taunted, giving Kuwabara a condescending smirk.

"Oh, shut up!"

When Hiei turned back to the fight, he was met with the sight of Toguro advancing upon them and Yusuke desperately trying to stop the demon from moving forward. His cries were ignored by the older demon, and step by careful step the demon continued.

"If all it takes is the death of a friend to bring out your true power, then I'll be happy to oblige," Toguro said. "How about I dispose of Kuwabara? You do seem the most protective over him."

"Don't do this," Yusuke pleaded.

"It's really your own fault. If you had only been able to access your power then I wouldn't have to resort to this."

Without warning Toguro sent a vicious punch in Yusuke's direction, sending the detective flying to the ground. He struggled to get to his feet, coughing up blood and shaking with rage as he ran towards Toguro once more.

"When he makes it over here, the three of us will have to fight him," Kurama informed Hiei and Kuwabara in a hushed tone.

"Hn. With what power, you're barely able to stand after your brush with death," Hiei retorted.

"Yes and the dragon technique left you drained as well. Would you rather we ran away?" Kurama taunted.

"Never," Hiei growled. "I can handle this alone, just leave Toguro to me."

"No," Kuwabara refused, stepping in front of the two valiantly. "I'm the one he's after."

"Kuwabara just stop and think about this first," Koenma advised.

"This is no time for your showmanship; f you face him now you'll die before this minute ends," Hiei warned.

"I know that," Kuwabara revealed solemnly, shocking everyone around him. "But we're running out of options and if it'll help Urameshi defeat this jerk, then I'm all for it. Everyone has to die eventually and if this is my time, then I'll face it head on!"

Kuwabara charged forward, spirit sword glowing in his hand. Toguro smirked and vanished from their senses just before reappearing in front of Kuwabara. Then it happened. The demon shoved his hand through Kuwabara's chest and it all seemed to go in slow motion. The sickening sound of blood as Toguro pulled his arm out of Kuwabara's wound, the life fading from the psychic's eyes, and his slow descent to the ground.

Hiei could hardly believe his eyes. Did that really just happen?

What was this feeling that surged up from within and caused his blood to boil? It was the same lust for vengeance that he felt when he saw Genkai's lifeless body and then later when he thought Kurama had died. His fists shook with rage as he watched Yusuke rush towards Kuwabara, propping his head up.

"Urameshi," Kuwabara coughed.

"Don't talk, you need to conserve your energy," Yusuke ordered. "Just hold on, we'll get you some help."

Kuwabara shook his head.

"It's too late for that," he stated gravely through a mouthful of blood.

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke yelled desperately. "Don't you dare die on me."

Kuwabara reached forward and grabbed Yusuke by the collar.

"Promise me, man to man, that you'll defeat Toguro," Kuwabara said seriously. "Make my death count, okay?"

A look of understanding passed through Yusuke's features as he swallowed hard.

"I promise."

"Good," he sighed, releasing his hold on the detective's shirt. He gave one last weary smile before his eyes rolled back and his eyelids closed slowly. Yusuke placed Kuwabara's body on the ground and walked over to Toguro, but Hiei's eyes were still glued to Kuwabara.

That useless oaf. He had to go and die when they were so close to victory – when they were so close to getting out of this hell hole. He never particularly liked Kuwabara, but he did respect him on some level. What he lacked in intelligence he made up for in his morals. He risked his life to save Yukina, and for that, Hiei was somewhat indebted to him. But how could he ever pay the fool back if he was –

Hiei's eyes widened. Something was not right. He heard a faint heartbeat and the more he focused on listening, the stronger the sound. How could a dead man have a heartbeat?

He looked up at Botan in the stands and his suspicions were confirmed. If Kuwabara had truly died, she would have surely known, and she would be a pathetic mess of emotions. Instead, she was calm, her gaze focused intently on the match. She must have felt his gaze on her because a few moments later Botan's eyes locked onto his own. She seemed to understand what he was thinking and looked over to Kuwabara before shaking her head. That was all he needed to know and he looked away.

It all made sense now and Hiei felt stupid for falling for Kuwabara's rouse.

Hn.

He understood why the clown did it, though. Although he acted like a hard-ass, the detective was more emotional than he cared to admit and his power was tied to those emotions. When his loved ones were in danger his power increased drastically and Kuwabara knew that.

Question is: what were the true motives behind Toguro's actions? He could have easily killed Kuwabara and gotten the same result from the detective. It did not add up.

Nothing seemed to make sense anymore and once again, Hiei was left to curse this island and the affects it had upon its inhabitants.

Turning his sights back to the fight, Hiei noticed that Yusuke had not begun to attack Toguro in a fit of fury. Instead, he looked calm and collected. The sadness was there in his eyes and the guilt was evident in his countenance, but as Yusuke's energy leaked out and filled the stadium, the detective wasn't swallowed by his own strength. Instead, he was in complete control. The walls around his emotions had broken down and the only thing left was pure and raw power.

The ground shook as Yusuke advanced towards Toguro and without warning, punched the demon square in the face with enough force to send him flying through the stadium wall. When the demon had come to a full-stop, Yusuke fired his spirit gun and it connected point blank, leaving everyone speechless.

"Come on you bastard, get on your feet. No more gimmicks, no more surprises, no more talking. Let's just end this, here and now."

Toguro stood up with a laugh, realigning his neck with ease.

"If that is what you wish."

"I'm putting everything into this one last shot and I'm doing just as you said, Genkai. I'm going to defeat this jerk with all the power I have," Yusuke declared, his eyes glistening with unshed tears as he took the offensive stance of his spirit gun.

Toguro, too, began pouring all of his energy outwards and his muscles began to expand once more. The glow of the two fighters' energy was blinding, but Hiei couldn't look away. It was a rare sight.

"Spirit Gun!" Yusuke yelled, releasing his attack upon Toguro with all his might.

Toguro attempted to grab hold of the energy, much like Bui did with Hiei's dragon, and he struggled with the massive power as he tried to contain it. He exerted as much force as he could, but was pushed back Yusuke's energy. The attack tore at his skin, his blood spilled relentlessly, and his own strength was at its limit as the attack overwhelmed him and an explosion erupted.

When the smoke cleared, Toguro's decaying body was on the ground and Yusuke was standing tall above it.

"Winner of the tournament: Team Urameshi!" Koto and Juri announced in unison and what was left of the crowd cheered joyfully for the new victors.

Despite the audience's cheering and his victory over the man who killed his mentor, the detective dropped to the ground and pounded his fists on the ground furiously.

"You won Yusuke, everything is okay now," Koenma soothed as he took a step closer to the detective.

"No, it's not okay!" he yelled, tears streaking down his cheeks. "If I didn't have concrete walls between my own stupid emotions, then Kuwabara would still be alive. I had all the strength to save him; I was just too dumb to know how to reach it."

"Yusuke," Kurama consoled.

"I'm just like everybody else with power. I don't do anything to help," he shouted, shaking angrily now as the tears flowed freely.

"Yusuke, please," Kurama tried.

"It's all my fault. I'm sorry Kuwabara… I—"

"Okay, I think that's enough crying and groveling for one day," Kuwabara joked, standing up with a grin.

Yusuke's eyes widened as he stared at Kuwabara in shock.

"H-hey, what the hell's a dead guy doin' walking around?"

"That's what I was trying to tell you, Yusuke. Kuwabara never actually died," Kurama said. "Toguro attacked, but missed his vital organs to create the illusion that he had landed a critical blow."

Yusuke gulped.

"So you guys let me cry like a damn baby over nothing?"

"You said it yourself, it was your fault," Hiei replied. "If you could have reached your power on your own, the fake death wouldn't have been needed and you wouldn't look like a child."

"I doubt he heard you," Kurama chuckled, pointing over to the detective, who had taken to beating Kuwabara mercilessly.

Hiei rolled his eyes and turned away from the scene.

"About our bet," Sakyo began, drawing all attention to him as he focused his attentions on Koenma. "Don't you think it's time we settled it? We both staked our lives upon our teams' success and Team Toguro was declared the loser."

"Bet's off," Koenma dismissed, good-naturedly. "There's no use in anymore senseless deaths and without your fortune, you're no threat to me."

"Very benevolent, but I'm afraid that just won't do. What's the point in gambling if you know that you can get out of the penalty?"

Koenma narrowed his eyes.

"Sakyo…"

The owner of Team Toguro merely smirked as he pulled out a control and pressed the button.

"The stadium will collapse within fifteen minutes, I suggest you all vacate before that happens," was all he said as he walked towards the locker rooms with every intention of honoring their bet.

The ground began to shake and fragments of the stadium rained down as a blaring alarm rang throughout the stadium, counting down until detonation.

"I've got a score to settle with Sakyo, you guys go on first," Koenma ordered as he followed the black-haired man further into the depths of the arena.

"You heard him, let's go," Hiei commanded.

"Right," Kurama agreed with a curt nod.

"We've got to get to the girls first," Yusuke reminded them as he pointed up to the top of the stands.

Unfortunately for them, as they made their way towards the girls, they were forced to move against the sea of demons who were desperately trying to escape. When Kuwabara caught sight of Yukina, his energy was renewed. He treaded past everyone, knocking down any demon that crossed his path in the process.

"Yukina, my love! Your knight and shining armor will come to your rescue!"

"We might as well follow his path," Kurama mentioned as they walked through the cleared path.

Upon reaching the top stands, Hiei immediately noticed his sister's distress.

"Something is wrong with Keiko," Yukina announced. "She's completely unresponsive."

At that moment a piece of the stadium broke off and they all watched in horror as it fell towards Yukina. Hiei managed to get over to her in time and shield her from the rubble and as the dust settled, he quickly let go of her and stood up straight.

"Thank you very much Hiei," she said gratefully.

Hiei only nodded in response, before turning to glare at Kuwabara.

"You are completely useless."

Kuwabara ignored him as he ran over to Yukina and fawned over her. Hiei disregarded the scene for now, recognizing that this was not the time for that. Something was not right. He looked around the immediate area and realized what it was.

"Where is Botan?"

Yukina turned to face Hiei and frowned.

"She went off to look for Hiro. I couldn't talk her out of it, I'm sorry."

Hiei cursed as he scanned the area. He was too low on energy to even consider using his jagan eye and would have to search for her the hard way. As he prepared to run off, Kurama put a hand on his shoulder to halt him.

"Let go of me fox," Hiei growled. "I will not leave until I have her with me."

Kurama smiled.

"I know that; just make sure you all come out in one piece."

"Of course I will."

With that said he sped off. It was hard to see much of anything in the crowd of demons, but he had to try.

Just like Genkai, Kurama, and Kuwabara, horrible images of her lifeless corpse assaulted his mind. He wouldn't let her fall to that fate, not while the heart of his that was so filled with her was still beating.

He scanned the area until he found Hiro. The boy was being pushed aside by much larger demons and he was trying his best to get the attention of anyone who would listen. Hiei scoffed; the child would get himself killed at this rate and his suspicions became fact when a particularly large brute shoved him to the ground in an effort to escape the stadium. No one would care if they had to trample a child to get to safety; especially not in a rough crowd like this. Hiei pulled Hiro up by the scruff of his shirt and set him on his feet before crossing his arms.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"It's you!" Hiro exclaimed in surprise. "It's a good thing you came, Botan's in trouble!"

Hiei frowned.

"Where is she?"

Hiro began running in the opposite direction, leading Hiei towards the site.

"She pushed me out of the way and got caught under debris. She's not hurt but she's trapped and I can't manage to get her out," he explained as he continued running farther and farther away from the exit.

Hiro led Hiei back to the ringside and stopped in front of a large encasing of debris.

"Botan, we're here!"

"What on earth are you still doing here?" Botan reprimanded, her voice muffled. "You need to get away, didn't you hear Sakyo? The stadium is about to blow!"

"Don't worry. I've got Hiei with me."

"Hiei?" she called out. "Please just take Hiro and go. Time is running out, you have to-"

"Listen to me," he ordered sternly. "I'm going to save you and then when this is all over there is something you should know. So don't even think about dying before then."

She was quiet for a while and he wondered if she even heard him, but then she spoke up.

"I understand … thank you, Hiei."

"Stand as far back as you can," he instructed.

He heard her footsteps as they padded against the ground and eventually came to a halt.

"Alright, you can go ahead now!" she called out.

Hiei summoned up the last of his strength and punched the boulder, shattering it into smaller pieces and blowing them away to reveal the source of all his strife, confusion, and wonder. She smiled at him and he felt at ease.

"Let's go," he said and without warning he grabbed Hiro, holding him under one arm and took the other and flung Botan over his shoulder.

She let out a surprised gasp and Hiro huffed.

"After all this time, you still haven't learned the proper way to hold a lady!" Botan admonished.

Hiei just rolled his eyes, fully well knowing what she was referring to. On the first night of the tournament he had resorted to the exact same method of dragging her to safety. It seemed as though fate had resigned him to protecting her.

He loosened his grip on her and she began to slide off.

"Hiei, what are you doing, stop that!"

"Either sit tight and shut up, or find your own way out of here," he ordered.

"I was just giving you a little constructive criticism!"

"Woman—"

"I don't mean to sound rude or anything," Hiro piped up from his position. "But can you two do this some other time? The stadium is about blow to smithereens and at this rate, we'll go with it!"

As much as he detested the little runt, he was right. The alarms began beeping at a faster and louder rate, signaling the imminent destruction and Hiei was off.

He dodged falling boulders effortlessly as he sped through the stadium. It was empty now, and he was sure that everyone else had made it out safely. He could feel the ground beginning to collapse under his feet but he kept on running. He was nearly there. The air around him got hotter and he could feel the swell of energy raising up, ready to burst at any moment. With the last of his strength he sped past the exit and kept running. The explosion went off so close that his ears were ringing and he was propelled forward, rocks scraping against his skin, but none of that mattered. They made it out alive.

Hiei let go of Hiro and resisted the urge to smirk as the boy fell unceremoniously to the ground and then set Botan down on her feet. Before Hiro could even retaliate, a loud voice cut him off.

"It's Botan and shorty!" Kuwabara cheered as he caught sight of them. "Hey, and the mini-shrimp, too!"

As the other flocked to meet them, Hiei turned to view the remains of the stadium and found himself wondering what he would have done if he hadn't made it in time to save her. The reality of death was made all too real during the final round and he was forced to come to terms with the truth.

Any injury he might have sustained during the tournament would be healed in time, but the damage she incurred on his heart? Well, that might just take forever to undo. Hell, he wasn't even sure if he wanted anything between the two of them to ever be undone in the first place.

He refused to waste anymore time denying it or pushing it away, and like all of his previous challenges, he would face this one head on. He finally understood what was going on in his heart. He wanted her, more than anyone else, and he would make sure that she understood that too.

* * *

Phew, that chapter took forever to finish. I really didn't feel like recounting any of the final fights, but I had to do it since this is a Dark Tournament fic. It wouldn't be cool to lead you guys all the way up to the finals and not write about it! In all honesty, I am kinda iffy about this chapter. It didn't turn out the way I wanted it to! Haha. Please leave a review and let me know what you thought about this chapter!

We've got one more update to go and that's it for this story! I just want to say, thank you for sticking with the story up until this point. Thank you for waiting patiently for the long overdue updates and taking time out of your busy day to read such long chapters. You guys are the best!

Til next time!


	14. Chapter 14

More Than Anyone Else

"Talking"

'_Thoughts'_

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 14

* * *

As the clouds of thick grey smoke and dust settled, all that was left of the stadium was rubble. Hiei glanced over at Botan – who was fawning over Hiro and making sure he was alright – with an unreadable expression. If didn't go back for her, she would have been caught in the explosion; her lifeless corpse buried beneath the remains of the stadium. He shook the image out of his head and frowned. They were safe now, but he still did not condone what she had done. It was thoughtless and reckless and she continually hurled herself into danger time after time without thinking of the consequences.

"Botan."

She seemed to be a bit startled by the use of her name, but by the look on her face she understood the direction the conversation was about to go and was expecting this all along. He could already sense her defiance and he wasn't sure if he had the energy or the patience to deal with it.

Truth be told, he was tired. And he wasn't referring to the heaviness in his bones and the aching in his muscles. He wasn't thinking of the superficial wounds that littered his body or the low level of energy that dragged its way across his system, trying its best to keep him conscious. The physical weariness was something he had become accustomed to. He would never get used to the exhaustion that accompanied having the same fight over and over with Botan; the kind that always ended without a solution. He would admonish her, she would apologize – not for her actions, but for making him worried – he would either ignore or deny or her claim, and just like that they would be back at square one.

Botan finally made her way over to him, where they wouldn't be interrupted or overheard, and something within him stirred. She stood before him, alive and out of harms way because he did something as equally thoughtless and reckless as her by returning to save her.

There was no correcting her habit of thinking with her heart. It would stay with her forever and she would risk her life time and time again for others. He would simply have to do a better job of protecting her, and the only way he could do that was by remaining at her side.

He didn't care if he was put in harms way to protect her; he would risk his life a thousand times over if it meant she was safe. And for the first time in his life, he felt no shame in admitting it.

"Are you alright?" she asked suddenly, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"I'm fine," he answered, the steely guard back up in his gaze. He realized he must have been staring at her shamelessly while he was lost in his thoughts.

She seemed a little breathless and she stared at him carefully.

"What is it?" Hiei asked, raising a brow.

"It's just… the way you were staring at me just now. I…" she paused before shaking her head. "Never mind, I assume you called me over here to talk about what I did earlier."

"No."

Botan's eyes widened and her mouth hung open, unable to form any coherent thought.

"No?" she echoed. "I was absolutely positive that you were going to berate me for going back to find Hiro!"

"I was," Hiei insisted. "But everything goes in one ear and out the other with you. You never do as I say."

Botan's expression softened and once again he found himself on the receiving end of one of _those_ looks. In the past, he could never grasp the meaning behind them, but he understood it all too well now and finally, it all clicked. He must have been staring at her the same way earlier. That's why she was so flustered. He berated himself for being so openly foolish.

"You should know," she started hesitantly, causing him to look over at her. "I didn't mean to put you or anyone else at risk. I went back for Hiro for the same reason you came back for me."

_Because you care._

The unspoken phrase lingered between them; words were not needed.

"I know," Hiei affirmed.

"Well, I better go check on the girls. Keiko was in pretty bad shape before and Shizuru must be feeling down what with the whole Sakyo deal…"

He still had more that he had to say, but he decided to let her go without a word for now. She was still awaiting a response from him, that much he knew, but he would rather deal with their unresolved issues when there weren't so many eyes and ears around to witness it.

"Thank you, Hiei," she said softly, resting her hand over his and giving it a light squeeze. "For everything you've done for me while we were here."

Her touch was warm and inviting, and for the first time he didn't feel the need to turn away from her. He didn't even care if the others were watching or not and he allowed her hand remain on his for a moment before nodding in response and letting her leave.

When he tore his gaze from her form, he noticed that Koenma had been staring at them with an inscrutable expression.

"What?" Hiei bit out, glaring at the Prince.

"Nothing," Koenma mused innocently, turning his attentions elsewhere.

Hiei opened his mouth to respond, but Kurama had already walked up to him, preventing any possible conflicts between the two.

"Are you alright?" Kurama asked diplomatically.

"I'm alive, aren't I?"

"Yes, but you expended a great deal of energy on the dragon and I'm sure you did the same thing in trying to ensure Botan's and Hiro's safety."

"I'm fine, fox. You should worry about yourself," Hiei advised, looking over Kurama's blood-stained clothing. "You've got your fair share of injuries."

Kurama looked down at himself before lifting his gaze to Hiei with a knowing smile.

"It looks worse than it is, I assure you—"

Suddenly, Botan let out a loud cry, alarming the two demons, as well as the rest of the group. They all turned to see what all the commotion was about.

"What's the matter, Botan?" Keiko questioned hurriedly, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"The victor of the tournament was supposed to get a prize!" she announced. "But how can we do that now if there is no Tournament Committee?"

"You're more concerned over a prize than their deaths?" Kuwabara asked disconcertedly, before frowning and crossing his arms over his chest.

"I didn't mean it like that!" she explained quickly. "It just seems a bit unfair that you boys had to go through all those trials without at least receiving some sort of consolation!"

Kuwabara seemed to think it over for a moment before nodding in agreement.

"It doesn't matter," Yusuke insisted, his brown orbs lingering on the remains of the stadium.

"Why not?" Botan asked, a hand settled on her hip.

"Because, they couldn't have given us what we really wanted anyway," he finished.

They all knew who the detective was referring to. The group seemed to settle into a haze of grief, when a coarse voice shook them out of their thoughts.

"It's touching, really. But how do you expect an old woman to get any rest when all I can hear are the sounds of your whining and whimpering?"

Hiei picked up on the familiar energy signal and turned towards the sound of the new voice. Standing on a hill farther away from the rest of the group, stood the woman who they all mourned.

"Genkai?" Yusuke yelled in disbelief, rubbing his eyes a few times as though her image would fade away once the spell was broken.

Without missing a beat, the girls ran towards the older woman, hugging her affectionately while Yusuke could only stand in his spot with his mouth agape at the mere presence of his mentor.

Genkai stood proudly as she looked towards her student with a stern smile.

"You must have rubbed off on me, dimwit. I died like you: half-assed."

"G-Genkai!" Yusuke exclaimed, shaking out of his stupor. "Come here, you beautiful old hag!"

Hiei couldn't help but watch as Yusuke hugged the old woman. He would be lying if he said he felt completely indifferent to her return. She was his teammate, after all, and they had gone through the same grueling hardships, triumphed over the same foes, and faced the same dangers. Death was not something she deserved, especially not at the hands of Toguro.

"Genkai's revival was all your doing wasn't it?"

Botan's voice broke him out of his thoughts. She was staring at Koenma, eyes shining full of unshed tears and gratitude as she awaited his answer.

Koenma only nodded in return.

"Oh, I just knew you would find a way around it!" she exclaimed hugging him tightly.

"Koenma can be a noble and just ruler when he wants to be," George piped in, causing the Prince to glare at the ogre before unhooking himself from the ferry-girl.

"I didn't want to raise any hopes unless I was completely certain that the conditions for Genkai's return were absolute, so I refrained from telling anyone about it."

"Whatever the case, I'm just glad that she's back. Now we can all return as we came and everything will be back to normal!" Botan exclaimed.

"Not everything," Koenma muttered.

"What do you mean, sir?" Botan questioned.

"Nothing," he said, glancing at Hiei briefly. "Just thinking out loud."

There was no mistaking it; the toddler was certain of the budding relations between Botan and himself. He had never given it any thought before, but their liaisons could have dire consequences. He was a demon and she was a being of the Spirit World; polar opposites and natural enemies. There could very well be some sort restriction concerning the mingling of ferry-girls and demons. While he was never one for adhering to the rules, he did not intend to make things difficult for her.

The revelation caused his anger to swell and he mentally berated himself for not catching on sooner. It wasn't like him to overlook such an obvious fact. He cursed without warning and stalked off, all the while ignoring the wide-eyed stares he got from the others as he left.

* * *

The girls had reconvened in their room after spending some time with Genkai. They decided it was best to let Yusuke have some time with her alone, after having gone through the most grueling ordeal of his life.

"I'm so happy that Genkai has returned," Yukina said, before placing a plate of snacks on the table and settling down on the plush couch.

Keiko nodded in agreement before turning to face Botan.

"Did you know anything about Genkai's return?"

Botan shook her head.

"I was just as shocked as you. Koenma didn't want to build my hopes up in the off-chance that he wasn't able to bring her back."

"Makes sense," Keiko said with a nod.

"So, what's with you and Hiei?" Shizuru asked suddenly, taking a seat next to Yukina on the couch.

Botan blanched. She wasn't sure if she wanted to open that can of worms just yet, but she wasn't confident in her ability to keep it a secret, either.

"What do you mean?" she asked sheepishly.

Shizuru gave Botan a knowing look.

"The man rushed back into an exploding stadium to save you. That's gotta say something."

"Well, it says he's not as callous as we all thought. That's all," Botan reasoned, as a light blush crept its way over her cheeks.

"There's something you're not telling us," Shizuru realized.

Botan crossed her arms and turned her head the other way, trying to tune them out. She thought of oars, mejiru seals, demon compasses – anything other than Hiei and the matter at hand.

"And judging by the way you're fidgeting, it's got to be something pretty big," Keiko noted, taking a seat on the couch near Yukina's free side.

Botan twitched and she wondered if she was really that easy to read. She forced herself to stop tapping her foot on the floor and slowed the drumming of her fingers down to a lazy cadence. If she simply continued to ignore them, they would eventually let up.

Shizuru grabbed a chip from the plate on the table and chewed it slowly before swallowing.

"We could sit here all day and guess. Make a little game out of it," Shizuru suggested and Botan's eyes widened nervously.

"Or she might just crack and spill the beans. She looks like she's about to explode with all the info she's hiding," Keiko taunted, reaching out to grab a snack from the table.

Botan pursed her lips tightly; the urge to reveal her secrets were bubbling up and she didn't know how much longer she could hold her gossiping tendencies at bay.

"Perhaps it would be best to just let it out rather than keep it all bottled inside," Yukina urged. "It doesn't seem too healthy."

"You too, Yukina?" she exclaimed, absolutely flabbergasted at the usually docile ice-maiden's interference.

Yukina met her gaze with a small, yet amused smile and Botan's resolve broke.

"Oh, I could never keep anything from you guys, anyway!" the ferry-girl relented before plopping down on a chair and facing the girls on the couch. "Sure a lot has happened event wise… but we've made little to no progress!"

"Why don't you just start from the beginning?" Keiko suggested.

"Alright," Botan began, drawing in a big breath of air.

She told them everything, starting from before the finals when she kissed Hiei, to Hiei coming to her rescue and everything in between. The girls hung on her every word and she was thankful that there were no interruptions because she just wanted to get everything off of her chest immediately.

"Now, the tournament's over and I know that he wants to tell me something, but I just can't figure out if it will leave my heart broken or not."

"Oh, Botan. I think he cares for you, that much is obvious," Yukina said soothingly.

"Do you really think so?" Botan asked. Yukina was Hiei's twin and – even the ice-maiden didn't know it – perhaps she had a better insight into Hiei's thoughts than Botan ever could.

"I do," she answered with a reassuring nod. "He might just be struggling with the proper way to convey his feelings."

"I don't know… I just have this feeling, like whatever he's going to say isn't good."

A knock at the door averted their attention.

"Come in!" Keiko called.

The door opened to reveal Kuwabara. He entered the room after giving Yukina a wide grin and walked over to the girls.

"Just a heads up, but Urameshi is planning some kind of victory party for all the survivors of the tournament. We're gonna have it in that huge ballroom downstairs," he informed.

"A party?" Keiko echoed.

"Yeah, it is our last night and all. He's already all over the island spreading the word."

"The kid's got style. We should kick off our last night with a bang," Shizuru said with a smirk.

"Um, sis? I think we already did that. Literally," Kuwabara muttered.

"Well it's time for some activities that don't result in potential death," she clarified.

"That's true," Kuwabara agreed, before turning towards the ferry-girl. "Hey Botan, could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," Botan answered, looking up at him expectantly.

Kuwabara looked around the room nervously before continuing.

"In private?"

She looked back at the others uncertainly and then back at Kuwabara. He was clearly nervous about something, so she conceded and followed him out into the hallway.

"What's so important that your own sister couldn't overhear?"

"I need you to do me a big favor. It's for Yukina."

* * *

Hiei had intended on getting some peace and quiet to sort out his next moves concerning Botan when he returned to the hotel, but the peace and quiet had lulled him into a deep sleep. That last round took a toll on his body and he decided not to fight it. When he woke up, he noticed that the sun was already setting as it hung low in the sky.

He dragged himself out of the bed and into the shower. The warm water soothed his muscles and he came out feeling rejuvenated. If only he could clear out his mind as easily as he had with the tension in his muscles.

Hiei certainly didn't want to burden Botan by having her choose between him and the only life she knew with Spirit World. It would be easier to forget all about what transpired on the island and return to normalcy.

He would return to the human world, wait out his probation, and then return to Demon World; free of restrictions, free of Spirit World, and free of her.

There would be nothing holding him back now.

There would be nothing holding her back from returning to her normal life, either.

But, is that what he really wanted?

"Have you figured out what you will do in relation to Botan?"

Kurama's voice broke him out of his thoughts and he finally noticed his comrade sitting on one of the couches. The fox looked much better than the last time Hiei had seen him. His blood-stained ragged kimono was replaced with a new one and the only remnants of the last battle were thin scars which Hiei presumed would fade in time.

"Things have gotten… complicated," Hiei revealed.

"How so?" Kurama pried, his emerald gaze settled on Hiei as he put his book aside.

"I don't want to make things hard on her if there are rules that forbid…" Hiei paused, unsure of how to finish that statement. "…us."

"I'm not too well-versed on Spirit Law regulations, but you could always go straight to the source and find out. Koenma should be over at the older stadium, searching for any leads on Sakyo's plan to connect human and demon world."

He contemplated it for a moment before nodding. It was a good thing that Koenma had isolated himself. It would be easier to talk to him without the others involved.

"One more thing," Kurama said, halting Hiei in his tracks. "Yusuke is holding a get-together for everyone since this is our last night here. It's in the ballroom downstairs. I suspect you'll find Botan there, if you're planning on talking to her later tonight."

Hiei nodded and took his leave. Upon exiting the room, he was greeted with the sight of Kuwabara standing in the middle of the hallway with a ridiculous grin on his face. The psychic was right in front of the girl's room, waiting either to enter or for someone to exit.

"What are you doing?" Hiei demanded.

"Just waiting for Yukina and Botan to finish talking and come out."

Hiei's eyes narrowed fractionally as he stepped closer towards the psychic.

"Were you _spying_ on them?"

Kuwabara held his hands up defensively and shook his head.

"No, it's not like that. I know exactly what they're talking about. Botan is just giving Yukina some good news, is all."

Hiei raised a suspecting brow and Kuwabara shook his head.

"You'll understand when they come out."

Hiei had turned to leave – he wasn't too keen on seeing Botan right now, especially when he was still had no conclusive decision on what direction they should take with their situation – when the sound of Kuwabara's voice stopped him.

"Hey…" Kuwabara began tentatively as he took a step forward towards Hiei. "I should probably thank you for saving Yukina earlier. I don't even want to think of what would have happened if you didn't get her out of the way in time."

Hiei shook his head. Of course he would save her; she was his sister, his responsibility, his duty.

"Yukina means a lot to me, so I owe you one… a big one," Kuwabara said, before scratching the back of his head nervously. "Look, if you ever need anything, even though you probably won't admit it, you can come to me. Even if it's something as little as talking, which you probably won't do, I'll be here. But it's only a one time deal, shorty, and we can't let Urameshi know about it because he'll never let me live it down."

Hiei scoffed. The day he went to Kuwabara for advice would be the day when the sky fell. There was nothing he needed from anyone, least of all the clumsy, dimwitted, and idealistic human standing in front of him. Kuwabara was the one person on the team who Hiei clashed the most with and it was because of their principles. He had a romanticized view on everything; honor, love, and life itself. He believed that he and Yukina were meant to be, although nobody really agreed with him or encouraged it, his feelings never faltered.

"How do you do it?" Hiei blurted out without really thinking.

"Huh?"

"Put such blind faith in the concept of love," Hiei explained. "Never mind the fact that she would never accept your feelings in the first place, but Yukina is of demon world and you are a mere mortal from the world of the living. Did it ever occur to you that you both come from two separate worlds governed by two separate bodies of law? Did it ever cross your miniscule mind that there might be rules against the intermingling of demons and humans?" Hiei asked before crossing his arms.

Kuwabara shot Hiei a look of disapproval.

"I'm going to ignore that first part, but as for all the other political stuff you suggested… it doesn't matter. If two people love each other, then you can rise above anything," Kuwabara said as though it were that easy.

As though it were the most effortless thing in the world, but…

"It's not that simple," Hiei argued.

"Yes it is," Kuwabara said firmly. "Love can overcome anything. It's what led me to Yukina when she was in trouble and it's what will keep us tied together no matter what Spirit World or Demon World has to say. I know you think love is a crutch for the weak or whatever, but it isn't. A real man fights for his love until the end."

"Let me enlighten you, you oaf. Once the boats come for us tomorrow and we go our separate ways, Yukina will return to the Ice Village. She will be lost to you forever. Where is your _love_ then?"

Kuwabara contemplated Hiei's words for a few moments before answering.

"If Yukina wants to return, then there's nothing I can do about it. I'll let her leave and I know the red string of fate will eventually lead us back to each other. But if there was even the slightest chance that she wanted to stay in the human world, then I'd find a way for her to stay."

Just then the door opened and Botan and Yukina exited their rooms, filled with excitement and beaming with joy.

"Don't thank me, Yukina, this was all Kuwabara's doing! I was simply the messenger!"

Yukina looked over to Kuwabara with a smile.

"Is it true?"

"Yes Kuwabara was the one that asked Genkai if you could take residence in the temple and then he asked me to speak to Koenma about it after Genkai agreed," Botan revealed excitedly.

Yukina walked over to Kuwabara and took hold of one of his hands.

"Thank you so much, Kazuma. You don't know how much this means to me."

Kuwabara's cheeks tinted slightly as he used his free hand to rub the back of his head sheepishly.

"Aw, it's nothing. I figured it would be safer for you to stay close to us and if we get any word of your brother, it would be easier for us to contact you."

Hiei watched the scene wordlessly and while the thought of Yukina even touching Kuwabara didn't settle well with him, he could see the fruits of Kuwabara's convictions first hand. If even Kuwabara could find a way to ensure his own sister's happiness, then surely Hiei could ensure his own future with Botan. It could be done and he knew exactly who he had to go to.

"Keiko and Shizuru already left for the party. Are you guys ready?" Botan said.

Kuwabara and Yukina nodded.

Botan looked over at Hiei and smiled.

"Will you come too?"

"I will," Hiei answered, surprising the others. "But there is something I have to do first."

* * *

Hiei looked upwards to the view of the darkened sky. It wasn't falling nor were there any signs of impeding doom.

And yet he had asked for and willingly received advice from Kuwabara.

He couldn't say he was actually surprised; stranger things have happened on this island.

For example, the demons who had once wished for his death were now saluting and greeting him. He could only assume they were making their way over to the detective's gathering back at the hotel. As he made his way through the forest words of disdain and hateful glares were replaced with amiable words and friendly grins. He ignored them all, of course, not one bit taken in by their sudden change in opinion.

He was headed towards the stadium where they fought up until the semi-finals. As he approached the area, he sensed Koenma's spirit energy on the ground floor. It was better that he got this conversation over and done with in a secluded place.

The door was ajar and Hiei made no attempt to announce his presence before stepping in. He could only guess this was Sakyo's private room within the stadium. It was sparsely furnished, with only a bookshelf, a desk, and a single chair. Koenma was shelving through the books, when he noticed Hiei's presence.

"To what do I owe the visit, Hiei?"

"It's about Botan."

"Ah," Koenma said, placing the book back and giving his full attention to the fire-demon. "I had a feeling this conversation would come up… though I hoped it wouldn't be so soon."

Hiei decided to cut right to the chase.

"If you intend to dissuade me from pursuing Botan, you're wasting your breath. Any decision that I make concerning her will be in her best interest. It will have nothing to do with you or Spirit World's excessive regulations."

Koenma looked taken aback for a moment before he busted out laughing. It wasn't a laughter filled with mirth or humor; in fact, it looked as though the dam holding up his sanity had broken and all that was left was lunacy.

"I fail to see the humor in all of this," Hiei deadpanned.

Koenma's laughter died down and he let out a sigh.

"I'm just relieved. I came here to pull that big brother routine on you, but I suppose it's all irrelevant after hearing what you just said."

"What?"

"You know, that whole _'if you ever hurt her, I'll send you to the deepest pits of Spirit World Prison,'_ spiel," Koenma explained raising his hands up to make air-quotes.

"I know what you were referring to; I want to know why you think it's unwarranted now."

"You just said it yourself. Whatever decision you make will be in Botan's best interest. You're a man of your word, Hiei, so I know that you will follow through."

Hiei eyed the Prince suspiciously. His criminal record should have deterred Koenma from even talking to him, yet here he was, making small chat and declaring his trust.

"You've had no reason to trust me in the past, why would you do it now?"

"Because Botan sees something you that I cannot, I suppose. She trusts you and that's enough for me."

"I'm on probation now, but once it lifts, there will be nothing keeping me tied to the human world. How can you trust that I won't leave the minute I am able to?"

"Because you wouldn't be testing me like this if you really meant it."

"Hn. You all presume to know me so well," Hiei scoffed.

"To be honest, I don't know what goes on in your head half the time and that's okay. Mind-reading is your job, not mine. I'm just here to maintain order," Koenma said. "But Botan is a dear friend and her opinion means a lot to me. If she trusts you, then I can learn to as well."

"Understood."

"And, uh, Hiei? Just for posterity's sake, if you ever hurt her, I'll—"

"I know," Hiei cut in, turning away from the Prince and walking away.

* * *

It was a tiring day and they should have all probably been sleeping, but everyone was as lively as ever. This was their last night on the island and they were the sole survivors. It was that thought alone that was keeping them awake and energetic. Under the iridescent light of the crystal chandlers, the hustle and bustle of the crowd's movement, and the sounds of laughter and conversation, everyone looked as though they were genuinely happy.

As she made her way around the room, Botan couldn't help but watch the interactions taking place. One would have never guessed that these were the same people who were engaged in the most vicious and brutal of fights. Surprisingly enough, Kurama and Kuwabara were conversing with Suzuka, formerly of Team Uraotogi.

"Those items really came in handy," Kuwabara admitted, scratching a hand at the back of his head. "I don't think I would have been able to beat Elder Toguro without it."

"And I would not have survived had it not been for the potion you provided me with," Kurama added.

Suzuka gave a lazy shrug of his shoulders.

"I suppose. The items are valuable, but it's what you do with them that counts. Never would have expected that I would be helping out the rookies who defeated me, but hey, the enemy of my enemy is my ally."

Kuwabara grinned.

"I've gotta admit, you sure are a lot different from the first time we met, Suzuka."

"The Beautiful Suzuka," he corrected before smirking to lighten the mood. "Perhaps I'll let it slide for today since you defeated Team Toguro."

"And yet the narcissism remains," Kurama whispered amusedly, to which Kuwabara nodded.

"You humans surprised me as well, you know," Suzuka confessed, returning to Kuwabara's previous statement with careful consideration. "You managed to do what no other demon at this tournament could and became the victors of the Dark Tournament."

Kuwabara opened his mouth to reply, but Botan's attention was averted by the sudden swarm of girls and sounds of their squeals and love-sick sighs. As they shuffled out of the immediate area and settled in another corner of the room, the ferry-girl noticed that Shishiwakamaru had joined the fray.

"That explains the fan-girls," Botan muttered to herself as she turned her attention back to the foursome.

Shishiwakamaru and Kuwabara were now engaged in a squabbling match, and Kurama tried to assuage the argument while Suzuka looked on in amusement. It was an entertaining scene to behold.

Just then, her gaze was shifted towards the source of a loud bellow. Fearing the worst, she turned around immediately, but her worries were allayed when she took in the sight.

Chu was engaged in a drinking contest with a few non-combatants from the audience, taking swigs of beer without a care in the world. Rinku and Hiro stood off to the side, Rinku muttering on about how embarrassing it was when Chu got like this.

Somewhere to the left of that was Yusuke and Jin, engaged in an arm wrestling match. Touya looked on in mild interest, while the announcers Koto and Juri were giving a play by play of the events to the crowd that had gathered to watch. It seemed old habits die hard.

Genkai and George were both making themselves a plate of food, George's plate most likely to be pilfered by Koenma later, while the girls were chatting. As her eyes traveled over the expanse of guests, she was glad to see that everyone could still act civil. From the audience who cheered for their deaths, to the opponents to who came close on many accounts to ending their lives, everyone was here, or what was left of them, at least.

Hiei had even decided to show eventually, although he didn't seem to be interested in any of the festivities. He was leaning against the wall with his hands crossed over his chest, his expression revealing no emotions as his apathetic gaze seemed to be staring nowhere in particular.

There was something that Hiei wanted to say to her; something left undeclared between the two, but she wasn't so sure if she wanted to hear it or not. She could see it in the way he stared at her, the way his crimson gaze followed her, the way his attention always seemed to wander back to her. Even if his eyes weren't on her, she could sense the silent words; feel them as though they were a presence creeping up on her. If it would bring her joy or heartache, she did not know and for tonight, she wanted to remain blissfully unaware. His words had the power to make or break her, but tonight, she just wanted to be happy. She wanted to celebrate the fact that Genkai had returned, that the team was victorious, and that everybody was safe. She wanted to hold on to these feelings, internalize them, relish in them. After days upon days of endless worrying and stress, they were all finally free.

Of course, that freedom did come with a heavy price. Many lives were lost – including someone very dear to Shizuru. Botan looked over at the eldest Kuwabara sibling and frowned. She could tell that beneath her witty remarks and nonchalant attitude, she was hurting.

"Shizuru?" Botan asked, tentatively placing a hand on the brunette's shoulder. "How are you holding up?"

Shizuru fingered the gold plated lighter she had received from Sakyo, a sad smile lingering on her face as she pocketed it.

"I'm a big girl; I'll be fine."

"I haven't the slightest doubt in my mind that you'll recover swiftly. But if you need to talk along the way, I'll be here."

Shizuru's smile lost some of it's sadness as she nodded.

"Yeah, I know."

Their attention was captured by the sight of a staggering Yusuke, followed by Keiko, Chu, and Hiro.

"I survived the toughest Tournament in all three worlds," Yusuke slurred. "I deserve a drink damn it!"

"You've already had five," Keiko muttered, her exasperation going unnoticed by the inebriated detective.

Yusuke grinned as he bent down to Hiro's level and offered him a drink half-jokingly.

"Hey, you want some too, kid?"

Botan immediately snatched the bottle out of Yusuke's hand, casting him a disparaging glare.

"He's just a child have you lost your mind?" she shrieked.

"Geez, lighten up, Bo, I was only kidding!" Yusuke hiccupped.

"Ya snooze ya lose, mate," Chu slurred as he swiped the bottle from Botan's hand and proceeded to walk away casually, with Yusuke hot on his trail.

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to have you around all of these bad influences," Botan mumbled as she rubbed her temples.

"Don't worry about me; like I've told you thousands of times before, I can handle myself."

Botan rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious!" he insisted stubbornly as he surveyed the crowd. "Why don't you go over to Hiei? He looks kind of sulky and lonely without you."

"I doubt that. He probably just wants to be left alone."

"That's not what he told me," Hiro revealed casually, his lips curved upwards in a devious smirk.

Botan gave him a disapproving look.

"It isn't right to lie, Hiro."

"I'm not lying," he shot back.

Botan's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized the boy.

"It isn't right to twist the truth, either."

"Believe what you want, but maybe you should go up to him and see," Hiro taunted before taking his leave.

She looked over at Hiei reluctantly before shaking her head and turning away.

* * *

Hiei stood in the corner of the room, isolated from the celebrations. He was never one to revel in such activities, anyway. The only reason he had come was to find Botan and tell her what was on his mind. Waiting was never his forte; he preferred to do things as quickly as possible, and if he did not tell her this now, he probably never would.

He had been watching her for some time now, and she hadn't been engaging in anything particularly important. She, like him, was alone, and he was sure that she was aware of his gaze. '_Hn, it figured_.' The one time he actually welcomed her presence, she resisted. Finally getting fed up of their little avoidance game, he decided that the time to take action was now.

Just then, a wave of silence washed over the room and Hiei's interest piqued. At the entrance stood Bui; his stature was tall and proud as he strode through the room blatantly ignoring everyone's stares.

Bui came to halt in front of Hiei, focusing solely on the fire-demon. Bui studied him in silence, his expression devoid of anger or malice. He seemed calm, but then again, it was his nature to keep up a calm countenance.

"I don't understand," Bui said, finally breaking the silence. "I've watched all of the battles during this Tournament and one thing has always remained constant: the total annihilation of any foe that got in your way. Why, then, did you spare me?"

"What if I told you there was no reason behind it?" Hiei answered.

"I suppose that's plausible; it just didn't seem in your nature to carelessly leave an enemy alive."

In all honesty, he was not thinking when he spared Bui. Killing Zeru was inevitable; he was testing the capabilities of the dragon and even then he did not know how to control it fully. Makintaro and Kuro Momotaro came at him with the intent to kill and relentlessly exercised this intent, resulting in their swift deaths. Bui was different. He lost and was resigned. He welcomed death, pleaded for it, even. As far as Hiei was concerned, the fight was over. There was no need for anymore actions to be taken.

"It wasn't a haphazard move, nor was it an act of benevolence. I don't particularly care what you do with yourself. If you want your life to be over so badly, then end it yourself," Hiei said harshly, before uncrossing his arms. "But you should know that your reason for living was weak. A true warrior is able to live for the sole purpose of strengthening himself. Defeat should have no impact on your resolve for living."

Bui stared at Hiei for a few moments before speaking again.

"You are a lot different than what I thought you would be; a far cry from the rumors I've heard."

"Hn."

Bui was starting to remind him of another blue-haired annoyance who searched for reasons behind each action he took.

"Enjoy the victory celebrations," Bui said, although Hiei had a feeling that the demon knew all too well that he did not care for such things.

Everyone remained silent as Bui vacated the area and Yusuke was the first to speak up.

"Well, that was creepy. But hey, you could have at least asked your new BFF to join in on the festivities. It's not like he has anywhere to be or anyone to be with," Yusuke said, pausing to scratch the back of his head. "We did kinda kill off his teammates."

"Nice tact there, detective," Chu murmured under his breath while Yusuke merely shrugged in response.

Hiei was beyond the point of listening, though. He walked through the crowd until he found Botan. She was all alone, but she didn't seem to be bothered by that fact and her expression brightened when she saw him.

"How are you enjoying the party?" she asked.

Hiei raised a brow.

"Do you even have to ask?"

"I suppose not. You never were one for parties or gatherings…"

Silence enveloped them and for a moment, neither knew what to say.

"We need to talk," Hiei said, cutting through the silence.

Botan seemed to understand the meaning behind his vague words and nodded. She followed Hiei as he led her outside. She took a seat on the bench and he joined her.

The sky was blanketed with stars and the breeze blew gently against them. Compared to the noise inside of the hotel, the sound of rustling leaves was a welcomed reprieve, but as the seconds ticked away the silence was quickly becoming stifling. Hiei didn't know where to begin, but Botan did.

"It's strange how things change," she began with a smile, her amethyst eyes set on the midnight sky above. "Before all of this happened, I hardly knew you! You were just the ex-fugitive who kidnapped Keiko and nearly killed Yusuke. Despite being a fire demon, you were as cold as ice and to be honest, you frightened me a bit. It seemed like no matter how hard I tried to get closer to you, you were always out of my reach."

"Why did you even bother?"

She turned to Hiei and thought it over for a while, before continuing.

"Well, at first it was because you were a part of the team and I realized that I knew absolutely nothing about you. I got to learn that you weren't as scary as I originally thought and you cared more than you let on," she revealed, ignoring the frown he gave her at that last part. "I found myself enjoying the time I spent with you and pretty soon, you became one of the people I couldn't imagine being without. Do you understand, Hiei?"

He nodded and they sat in silence for a few moments.

"You were an annoying ferry-girl," he said simply, his gaze staring out in front of him instead of at her.

"And now?" she prodded.

"You're still an annoying ferry-girl. You disregard all logical thought and choose to follow your heart instead of your head. You talk too much, you smile too brightly, you care too sincerely, and you're lodged in here," he paused to place his palm against his chest, "too deeply."

"Well, that almost sounded as if you …" she stopped suddenly, too afraid to finish her thought.

"As if I loved you," he finished firmly, his gaze resolute as it rested on hers.

Botan's mouth was slightly agape and she found herself unable to say a word.

"You asked me what I thought yesterday. I won't hide the fact that I do want you, but concerning a relationship and all of the other things that you desire… I didn't think I could commit to those."

Botan couldn't hide the hurt in her eyes as she nodded slowly, forcing the words out of her mouth.

"I understand."

"No, you don't. Not yet, at least."

She stared back at him silently as he continued.

"That's what I would have said. It was the truth then, but things are different now. I've always been alone and I liked it that way. I prefer not to entangle myself in a web of dependent relations, but the more time I spent here, the more I found myself getting used to your presence. If there's one thing I learned on this island, it's that time is fleeting. I realize now, that there is no better moment to grasp what you want than in the present. And the only thing I want at this moment, more than strength, more than power, more than anyone else, is you."

Her eyes filled with tears and they spilled over, leaving Hiei to wonder if she had realized what he was trying to say. He was never good with handling his emotions, much less conveying them.

"Do you understand?" he asked, finally.

She threw herself onto him, crying freely.

"Oh, Hiei!" she cried. "I love you too."

She hugged him tightly and Hiei put his arm around her, feeling as if all the tension that had been suffocating him vanished into the air. The tournament was over, he mastered the dragon, and he accepted the feelings he had for Botan. All of his turmoil – it was all over.

The sound of clapping caused Botan to pull away and Hiei averted his attention over to the source.

"Took you both long enough," Hiro said, his voice cutting through the silent night air.

He was standing in the threshold of the hotel entrance, a self-satisfied smirk pulling at the corner of his lips.

"Hiro… exactly how long were you standing there?" Botan inquired.

"I just got here. I figured I should go back to my hotel since it's getting late and the ferry is coming early," he explained.

The duo stood up from the bench and Hiei's expression turned sour. As usual, Botan was happy to see the child, but Hiei wondered if the boy took any pleasure in the fact that he was always interrupting them.

Botan offered him a smile.

"Well, do you want me to walk you back? This is our last chance, after all," she said, a bit saddened by the thought.

Hiro shook his head.

"Like I've said a million times before, I can take care of myself," he said obstinately.

"Alright," Botan relented. "But I'll definitely come to say goodbye before you leave tomorrow morning."

Hiro's gaze flitted towards Hiei and the older demon could sense the younger one's unspoken question.

"We'll both be there," Hiei said, causing both Hiro and Botan to stare at him wide-eyed.

Hiro broke out of it first and nodded.

"Okay, well I'll see you guys tomorrow."

They watched him until he was out of sight and then Botan turned her attention to Hiei.

"That was unexpected of you," she said, her features breaking out into a grin.

"Hn."

"You're just a big softy on the inside, aren't you, Hiei?" she teased.

"Don't be delusional."

Botan's smile quickly fell and she propped her hands up on her sides.

"You know, I thought you'd start being a little nicer to me. Especially since you admitted that you love me and all," she teased.

"I don't recall saying that I love you," he responded, impassively.

Botan tried to recall their latest conversation but she was too flustered to function. Blood rushed over her cheeks as she looked back at Hiei and she frowned upon noticing the amusement that was reflected in his eyes; he had been teasing her.

"That wasn't a very nice thing to do," she huffed.

He pulled her against him and smirked.

"I've told you countless times before: I'm not a nice person," he insisted.

"Hm, we'll have to do something about that attitude of yours," she whispered.

"You've got all night to try," Hiei offered before capturing her mouth with his.

* * *

The next morning everyone had decided to meet up in the hotel lobby. The members of Team Urameshi were already packed and waiting for the girls to join them.

"Okay, something is going on with shorty!" Kuwabara bellowed.

"Pipe down… I've got a massive hangover and I'm not in the mood for you or your spiritually aware psychotic readings," Yusuke groaned, downing the rest of his coffee in one swift motion.

"It's _psychic_ and that's beside the point! There is definitely something going on here!" Kuwabara persisted.

"What are you talking about?" Hiei asked irritably.

"I don't know, but something about you is different! Don't you think so, Urameshi?"

Yusuke shrugged as he looked Hiei over with a critical eye.

"Seems like the same pyromaniac we all know and love to me."

"You're being paranoid, fool. Nothing has changed," Hiei insisted.

"Not even with Botan?" Kurama interrupted.

Hiei remained quiet and Yusuke's eyes widened.

The girls chose to make their entrance at that moment.

"You're all chipper and smiley – well more so than usual. Something's gotta be up with you, Bo," Shizuru said.

Botan looked over at Hiei and smiled and Shizuru looked between the two of them.

"Did you two finally work things out?" Keiko asked incredulously.

It was Yusuke's turn to look between the two as the girls made their way over.

"Don't tell me you two…" Yusuke trailed off, his eyes darting back and forth between the ferry-girl and fire-demon.

The others turned to Botan for confirmation and the ferry-girl smiled sweetly.

"I don't know why you're all looking over at me," she said, putting on her kitty-face.

"Because, you're our resident blabbermouth," Yusuke revealed.

"Because you can't keep a secret," Kuwabara noted.

"Because you crack easily under pressure," Kurama muttered.

Botan's eyes narrowed in annoyance and she crossed her arms.

"Well, I'll have you know this resident blabbermouth is out of commission! You won't hear a word from me! No sir, not even a peep—"

"It's true. We are together now," Hiei interrupted calmly.

All eyes turned to Hiei and he stared back at them, unfazed.

"Hiei?" Botan began.

"They would have found out eventually," he reasoned.

A smile broke out on Botan's face. She knew Hiei wasn't one for big declarations of love or romantic gestures but she didn't need any of that. He was truthful and upfront and he didn't care about what anyone else thought about their relationship. That was enough for her.

"Well…" Yusuke began, scratching his head. "If this had happened before the tournament I'd be shocked, but I did catch you two getting hot and heavy in the forest that one time, so I can't say I didn't see it coming."

"We weren't doing anything!" Botan objected.

"That's not what it looked like to me," Yusuke teased.

Botan summoned her oar and brandished it at the detective menacingly, ready to strike him down, when Kurama's voice interrupted.

"Isn't it about time for you to see Hiro off?" he asked smoothly.

The oar disappeared and Botan checked her watch.

"Oh, you're absolutely right! We should hurry, or we might miss him!" Botan exclaimed.

* * *

"There's your boat," Botan said sadly as it pulled up near the dock.

Hiro looked over to the boat and noticed other demons starting to board.

"I guess that's my cue."

Botan dropped down to her knees and hugged him fiercely.

"I'll miss you, Hiro!"

He tensed in her arms, still not used to receiving contact from someone other than his mother and slowly relaxed into her embrace.

"I know I said I didn't need it," he began quietly. "But thanks for looking out for me, anyway. And … I'll miss you too."

It was so soft that she wasn't sure if he had said it or not, but when she felt his smaller arms encircle her form and then let go, she knew that she wasn't imagining it. Botan stood up and wiped a few stray tears, her eyes glistening as she smiled down at him.

Hiro turned to Hiei slowly and unsure of himself.

"Um… well…" the boy began, scratching the back of his head.

"Remember the basics I taught you and build on those," Hiei instructed.

"I will! I'll train harder and I won't stop until I'm even stronger than you are!" Hiro promised with a grin.

Hiei nodded.

"Well… I guess it's time for me to leave," Hiro said reluctantly picking up his bags and casting them a half-smile. "Goodbye."

He lifted a hand to wave at them before hurrying onto the ship. Botan saw him join up with Rinku and the others and she knew that he would be in good hands. She waved at him one last time, before the boat took off and he was gone forever.

"Thanks for coming to see him off. I'm sure he appreciated it."

"I'm just glad to get rid of the kid."

Botan laughed.

"He grew on you and you know it."

"Like a thorn in my side."

She smiled knowingly as they made their trek back to the others.

"Believe it or not, I'm actually gonna miss this place," Yusuke revealed.

"It seems like we've been here for years," Kuwabara added.

The stood on a hill and stared out into the distance silently for a while. They would all be returning to normalcy and this island would be just another memory in their past.

"Back to skipping detentions," Yusuke said with a smirk.

"Video games," Kuwabara smiled.

"My human mother," Kurama said warmly.

"Various crimes…" Hiei finished.

"I'm sure Botan wouldn't be too thrilled with that one, Hiei," Yusuke admonished before his grin turned smug. "Unless, that is, you want to be caught by her. Play a few kinky rounds of criminal versus the spirit detective's assistant with the girlfriend, huh?"

G-girlfriend?" Botan spluttered, having previously given zero thought to what she could classify her relationship with Hiei as. She supposed it was the most logical title, but it sounded so trivial after everything they had been through.

"Is something wrong? I mean… you two are together, aren't you?" Keiko asked.

"We are, but it just sounds strange to refer to us as boyfriend and girlfriend!" she admitted openly, before covering her mouth with her hand. "Not that the idea is a necessarily bad one! I didn't mean that you wouldn't be good boyfriend material or anything, in fact I'm sure you are the best boyfriend in the world, I just—"

"I have the feeling we had this conversation already," Kurama noted.

Hiei nodded in agreement. It was then that Botan realized that they did. At the end of the first round of the tournament, she said something about Hiei supposedly being good boyfriend material in attempts to cover up the fact that she thought the idea of them as a couple was ludicrous. And yet here they were, at the tournament's end, closer than they ever thought possible.

They boarded the ferry and gave the island one final look as the ferry took off. As the island became smaller and smaller, it would soon become nothing but one of the many memories they held in their hearts.

Yusuke would remember it as the place where he lost his mentor and found the inner strength to defeat one of his greatest rivals.

Kuwabara would remember it as the place where he reunited with Yukina and built on their love to make him stronger.

Kurama would remember it as the place where he regained the past he thought he left behind.

Hiei would remember it as the place where he learned that letting others in wasn't necessarily a weakness; whether it was the dragon, his friends, or Botan, they all managed to make him stronger.

Botan would remember it as the place where she learned to hold fast to her values and cling to the foolish desires of her heart – because it was a combination of the two that got her through this ordeal and led her to Hiei.

Koenma would remember it as the place where he put his life on the line to support his team and friends.

Yukina would remember it as the first step in breaking away from the ice village and their customs.

Shizuru and Keiko would remember it as the place where they opened themselves up to a whole other world.

And Genkai would remember it as the place where she could finally put her life-long struggle with Toguro to rest.

Although the past week was a trying one, it was necessary for each of them and they all gained something in one way or another. She looked over at Hiei and smiled. They came separately and left as a pair; stronger and surer than ever. They were everything the other needed all along. He completed her, more than anyone else ever could, and that was more than enough for her.

* * *

The End

* * *

Woo, I can't believe it's over! This chapter went through many, many, edits and I wasn't quite sure how to end it. It's never easy ending anything, but this was especially hard for me because More Than Anyone Else was one of my favorite stories. I started it thinking it would probably be my last fanfiction ever, but the more I wrote, the more I wanted to continue writing. I also started this story thinking that the HxB fandom was long gone, but to my surprise, the fandom is still going strong. So much so that More Than Anyone Else has become my most popular story!

All that's left to say now is thank you! Thanks for sticking by this story, thanks for keeping up with it, and thanks for seeing it through til the end. I try my best to reply to every reviewer, but if you're not logged in, anonymous, or I may have just forgotten you: Thank you SO much!

I hope you guys enjoyed this last chapter and I hope to see you all in the next fic!


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